Sarah D.

Nowlin

Sarah Deas Nowlin, 93, of Charlotte, NC, passed away on Friday, September 25, 2026 at Atrium Health Mercy Hospital in Charlotte, NC.

Sarah Deas Nowlin, age 93, was born on January 1st, 1933, in Florence, South Carolina, to the late William Manzie Deas and Catherine Kirby Deas. She transitioned peacefully to eternal life in the early hours of Friday, September 25, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to her parents, Sarah was preceded in death by her beloved brother, William Earl “Darby” Deas, and her son, Leon Nowlin.

Sarah was very active in extra curriculum activities and served as a majorette for Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina. She went on and obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. Sarah dedicated her life to education, teaching in the public schools of Lee County, South Carolina, and later in Cook County, Chicago, Illinois.

Sarah later moved to Washington, DC, where she continued teaching within the public school system there, before eventually settling in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she became a beloved and dedicated member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg public school system. Throughout her career, Sarah touched the lives of countless students across four states, and teaching remained one of the great joys of her life.

Sarah was a woman of deep faith and served as a Deaconess at First Baptist Church-West, where she gave freely of her time and spirit when she could.

Sarah married Willie Nowlin Jr. on June 1, 1963, and the two shared 63 happy years together. She adored her husband, and those who knew them well could often hear her calling out "Willie!!!" — or his nickname, "Bubba!!!" — around the house. Willie loved his beloved wife just as fiercely, and just as often you'd hear him calling back her nickname, "Penny!!!"

Sarah loved her family dearly. She enjoyed cooking, knitting, sewing, and carried herself with a sense of pride which earned her the affectionate nickname "Ms. Hollywood" from her children; her great-grandchildren called her “Mommadoo.” Sarah had a sharp mind and a love of words. She enjoyed reading, writing, and crossword puzzles well into her later years. Music was one of her greatest joys — she loved gospel, jazz, soul, and was a gifted alto singer who cherished singing songs together with her children.

Sarah is survived by her husband, Willie Nowlin, Jr.; her children, Brenda Nowlin-Aiken (Ezekiel Aiken), Andre Nowlin, Kervin Nowlin, and Sharon Nowlin-Harvey (Keith Harvey); her daughter-in-law, Vickie Nowlin; her grandchildren, Leon Nowlin Jr., Laren Nowlin-Warfield (CJ Warfield), Lindsey Nowlin, Lance Nowlin, Brittany Mack, and Ethan Nowlin; and her great-grandchildren, Alayna Connor, Christian Connor, and Grayson Connor. She also leaves a special cousin/sister, Joann Braithwaite; her niece, Jackie Thomas, and nephew, Darryl Deas. With much love, Sarah is survived by two sisters-in-law, Ivey Staley, Irma Deas, and a host of nieces and nephews.

Sarah's legacy lives on in the classrooms she filled with wisdom, the church she served with quiet devotion, and the family she loved so fiercely. She was a teacher, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a friend — a woman who moved through life with elegance and purpose, leaving behind a melody of love that will echo in every song sung, every lesson taught, and every memory shared in her name. Though her voice is now silent, her spirit continues to sing.