Sarah James, 19
Sarah left this world tragically on July 17, 2019, after enjoying an evening out with friends, near her Louisiana State University campus where she was a sophomore studying biological engineering.
Sarah was born in Red Deer, Alberta, on June 17, 2000, and lived there until she was 5 years old. Her family then relocated to Lake Jackson, Texas, where she lived until she was 11 at which time her family moved to the Destrehan, Louisiana, area (Montz, Louisiana). Sarah had recently completed her first year of the Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) FastPath program (a selective program where she would earn her Bachelor of Science, medical degree and Ph.D. at LSU. She was honored to be named on the president’s honor roll for achieving greater than a 4.0 in her engineering studies to date. She was also a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, being a legacy from her grandmother Jenny Lou “Lu-Lu.”
Although Sarah was great at setting and achieving goals, she artfully worked to achieve balance in her life. She based her 2018 salutatorian speech around the quote displayed on the wall in her family’s kitchen: “Life is not a matter of milestones, but of moments.” This served to remind her to take time to enjoy the path, and not just the destination. Thank you Sarah James for the million wonderful moments!
Sarah is survived by her parents, Doug and Becky (Rhodes) James of Montz; brother, Clayton James; grandparents, Mel and Pam James of Bigfork; John and Mary Rhodes of Bremen, Indiana; Chuck Siderius of Kalispell; aunt, Beth (Rhodes) Bogunia and cousin Bryant Bogunia of South Bend, Indiana; aunt and uncle, Kim (James) Zipp and Gene Zipp of Woods Bay; beloved pets, Emma (Emma Moo-Moo) and Amber (Amber-Bamber), two Labrador retriever-mix dogs.
Sarah was preceded in death by her grandmother, Jenny Lou “Lu-Lu” Siderius, formerly of Kalispell; and uncle, Clifford Melbourne James, III (Trey), formerly of Kalispell who are holding her tight until we see her again.
Relatives and friends of Sarah James are invited to attend a memorial visitation at St. Charles United Methodist Church, 1905 Ormond Blvd. Destrehan, LA 70047, today, July 24, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at the church Thursday, July 25, at 11 a.m. with officiant Pastor Michelle Harris, and honorary pallbearers Clay James, brother; Bryan Bogunia, cousin; Ethan Headings, boyfriend; Noah Wilkins, friend; Matt Lewis, friend; and Nicholas Dufresne, friend.
H.C. Alexander Funeral Home in Norco, Louisiana, is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.hcalexander.com to read more about Sarah’s beautiful life.
In lieu of flowers the family has established a memorial fund, which you may donate by writing a check to Sarah James Memorial Scholarship Fund and send to Destrehan High School,1 Wildcat Lane, Destrehan, LA 70047; or donating via www.gofundme.com