Sara Benson, 83 of Eagle River, Alaska, died July 9, 2016 at the Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, Ohio.

She was born to the late Ralph and Leoda Badertscher of Bluffton, Ohio, on Sept. 20, 1932.Sara was the oldest of her four siblings: Dean Badertscher of Bluffton, Ohio, Jane Walter of Baltimore, Ohio, and two brothers who preceded in death, Don Badertscher (Bluffton, OH) and Brian Badertscher (Lapeer, Mich.).

Sara graduated from Bluffton College in 1957, then moved to Eagle River, Alaska, in 1959, where she taught first grade for 30 years. She was a lover of the arts, supporting local Alaskan artists and donating her time to usher at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage. 

She was also a member of the ADK teaching sorority.  A celebration of Sara’s life will be held Sunday, Aug. 14, at 3 p.m. at her nephew’s home in Bluffton.