Sara Dunn Corley, 89: Faithful pastor's wife did whatever was needed
Sara Corley epitomized a preacher's wife.
Wherever the Rev. William C. "W.C." Corley Sr. was called to serve in 69 years of marriage, she went. While there, she fulfilled various church roles, big and small. The chore didn't matter.
If a Sunday school class needed a teacher, she taught it. If there was a fund-raiser or some other activity, she volunteered. The only thing she didn't do was play the piano, joked a son, William C. "Buddy" Corley Jr. of Lawrenceville, one of five siblings.
"You can't always find volunteers, especially in small churches," he said. "She did whatever needed to be done. Her greatest talent was the ability to recognize a need and get that need met."
Sara Dunn Corley died on Monday of complications from pneumonia and other conditions at Gwinnett Extended Care Center in Lawrenceville. She was 89. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Lawrenceville First Baptist Church. Tom M. Wages Funeral Service of Lawrenceville is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Corley was born in Smyrna, where her grandfather had been mayor. She joined a Methodist church there when she was 12, and by age 17 was teaching Sunday school.
The 1937 Smyrna High grad attended Toccoa Falls Institute in North Georgia. There, she met the Rev. Corley, a student from Augusta who early on told her he'd been called to preach. They married in 1940.
Beginning in 1941, Mrs. Corley worked as a law school secretary and, later, law school librarian at Mercer University while her husband earned his undergraduate degree in English. At that time, the Rev. Corley also served as a pastor for Lizella Baptist Church near Macon. After he graduated, the couple moved to Louisville so he could attend seminary school.
Once he became an ordained minister, the Corleys served several congregations, including Sparta Baptist Church in Hancock County, First Baptist Church Rockmart and Lawrenceville First Baptist Church.
At Lawrenceville First Baptist, Mrs. Corley organized a fellowship club and became active in senior issues. She was appointed to a Gwinnett task force that identified the need for a senior center. Later, she served as president and program director of the Gwinnett County Council for Seniors.
"Being a minister's wife, she dealt with seniors and saw their needs," said a daughter, Jerrie Lynn Corley Peevy of Lawrenceville. "She would plan events so seniors could learn about their Social Security and Medicare, and she'd do fun things like have fashion shows.
Last year, Mrs. Corley moved into Gwinnett Extended Care in Lawrenceville, where her husband, who suffered a stroke years ago, resides. Though they had separate rooms, the Rev. Corley made it a point to spend as much time with her as he could.
"She was always Daddy's best critic, friend and mate," said their son, Buddy. "Whatever Daddy did, she supported him. She accepted the role of a minister's wife. He said the other day that she was the epitome of a pastor's wife."
Additional survivors include two other daughters, Judith Corley Kenna of Decatur and Lisa Corley Collettof Duluth; another son, Kenneth Corley of Lawrenceville; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.