Sarah Lavern Holland Mays
12/9/1926-9/5/2026.
Born in Eva, TN to Edward & Lena Holland, she married J. T. Mays and together had two sons, James (Patsy) of Florence and Larry, Kingston, TN.
They had four grandchildren: Lisa Moates (Mark), Leigh Ann Foote (Jeff), Kevin Mays (Melinda) and Bryan Mays (Ashley). She has 11 great grandchildren who affectionately call her “Great”: Alexa and Avery (Audrey) Moates; Cade, Cooper, & Camp Mays; Ryder & Ramsey Mays; Kennedy, Carter, Carson & Kenzly Foote; sister, Martha (Leroy) Powell, Stewart, TN, and a host of family members whom she loved deeply as they loved her. The joys of her life were family gatherings and traveling.
She was preceded in death by husband, J. T. Mays, son, Larry H. Mays, brothers, George & Audye Holland.
She was a standout basketball player. She married her high school basketball coach and they built a family of athletes. At 80, she was Alabama Free-throw Champion at Senior citizen competition in Birmingham. She loved sports. She was immensely proud of her family and their successes.
Sarah was a longtime resident of Muscle Shoals where she was a member of Woodward Avenue Baptist Church. She loved her XYZ Club and participation in the “We Ain’t Dead Yet” band, made of homemade instruments. Her specialty was performing “Elvira”.
Visitation will be 11:00 am at Colbert Memorial Chapel, Tuscumbia, AL on Wednesday, Sept 9, with funeral following at 12:00 pm in the chapel. Jerry Rea will be officiating. Burial will be in Colbert Memorial Gardens.
