No One Knew
by Dick Underwood

No one knew the torment,
that you were going through;
We only kept on seeing
What we really wanted to.

We saw the outward smile,
but not your inner pain;
We never really dreamt,
That you would never smile again.

Forgive us if we failed to see,
What we could do to aid;
Or if we failed to comprehend,
How much you were afraid.

We pray your mental anguish,
Will now forever cease;
And that your deep anxieties,
Will be replaced by peace.

We know your pain invaded,
Every single thought you had;
It made you cry internally,
And deeply, deeply sad.

But we in turn remember,
The good times, not the bad;
We remember when you smiled at us,
And not when you were sad.

So when we think about your life,
We won’t dwell upon its close;
We’ll remember all the good times,
And forget about life’s blows.

We’ll remember all the happiness,
The joy and not the tears;
The assurance and the confidence,
And not irrational fears.

Our lives have all been better,
Because you have been there;
So now we leave your memory,
In God’s all-loving care.

Obituary

Sarah Jane Slack of Fort Worth Texas passed away Wednesday August 26, 2020

She was born January 26, 1974 in Dover New Jersey, the daughter of William Slack and Norma Victor.

Sarah grew up in northern New Jersey and graduated from Sparta High School in 1992.  She continued her education studying biology and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1999.

Sarah loved all living things, and believed in helping people.  She rescued numerous animals and volunteered at the League of Animal Protectors.  She was also active with the Soupmobile Church, serving the local homeless Sunday donuts and coffee as well as having meaningful conversations with them. Treating them like real people.  She never passed by an opportunity to help someone out. 

Sarah also believed in protecting the environment and with her biology degree she sought out positions where she could make a difference.  During the time she lived in Indiana she worked for the state’s Department of Environmental Management.  Later she landed a job as an Air Quality Specialist for the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality.  These were dream jobs for her, where she felt she could better the lives of everyone and the environment.

Sarah was a kind soul and never one to take herself too seriously.  It was hard to spend time around Sarah without her bringing a smile to your face.  Yet Sarah ran in circles with the world’s elite as a member of the prestigious Hash House Harriers.  The Hash House Harriers is an international organization self-described as a drinking club with a running problem.  Within this hallowed organization she was bestowed the nickname of PineCone in the Puss or simply PCP.  A name she wore with dignity and pride.

Sarah, being the youngest sibling, took a stand for all younger children.  In her final requests she checked Andrea’s oldest child privilege by allocating Andrea only three fifths of a vote towards the choice of “party boat, broken down cabin or some lil vacation spot or a vacation for the family” that the rest of her estate was to be used for.  Sarah acknowledged that with inflation, this might be enough for a pot luck gathering in a public park.

Most of all, Sarah enjoyed being around and interacting with other people in a meaningful way.  She was that very sweet, kind, sincere, and loving person that you don’t meet every day, but should consider yourself lucky if you did, and even luckier if she called you friend.  If everyone aspired to be more like her, the world would be a better place. We love her and will miss her.

Sarah leaves behind her dogs Cy and Mickey, her rat Larry, sisters Elizabeth Tilley, Kathryn Prestia and Andrea Slack, brother Joseph Slack, mother Norma Victor, step father Robert Victor, and step bothers Daniel and Jason Victor.

Funeral Services were held virtually via Zoom on Friday September 4th. Recording of the Zoom session is posted here.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that a donation be made in Sarah’s name to your local animal shelter or to the ASPCA.