Sara Mae Lake, my great-grandmother, was born on February 21, 1915 in Lewis County, WV.

Sara Mae, age 5, appears on the 1920 Census with her family in Jackson, Louisa, Va; it is noted that she can’t yet write:

On the 1930 Census, Sara (listed as age 15) was living with her family at the Collins Settlement, Lewis Co, WV:

In 1931, at age 16, Sara married Arden McKinley Cogar (b. 1900).

The 1940 Census lists Sara’s highest level of schooling as “Elementary School – 6th grade”:

Sarah was just 17 when she had daughter Olive Irene Cogar. Then at age 18, she had another daughter – Wanda Pearl Cogar. She was 20 when she welcomed son Spencer Cogar (my grandfather). At age 22, she had son James Calvin Cogar. Then at age 23, another daughter – Georgia Iowa Cogar. When she was 26 she welcomed daughter Shirley Mae Cogar; at age 29, daughter Lucy Marie Cogar. Then at age 34 she had son Richard Cogar, and at age 38 son Harold Eugene Cogar. The family continued to grow – in 1958, a 43 year-old Sara welcomed daughter Linda Sue Cogar. She is listed on her daughter’s marriage certificate in 1986.

Sara’s dad George Vinton Lake (b. 1885) died on July 5, 1958. Sara lost her husband, Arden McKinley Cogar, on October 25, 1967. Then on November 12, 1971, Sara’s half-sister, Ercil Isis Lake, passed away. On May 25, 1972, Sara’s mother – Victoria Keith – died.

In 1993, at age 78, Sara was living in Buckhannon, WV.

Sara died on September 20, 2008 in Elkins, Randolph County, WV at the age of 93. She is buried at the Green Hill Cemetery, Hettie, Braxton Co, WV.

Sara’s obituary read as follows:

Sara Mae Cogar, 93, of Nella’s Nursing Home, Crystal Springs Community, Elkins, died Saturday, September 20, 2008, at Nella’s Nursing Home following an extended illness.

She was born February 21, 1915, in Lewis County, a daughter of the late George Vinton Lake and Victoria Keith Lake.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Arden McKinley “Boots” Cogar on October 25, 1967; two children, Arden Junior Cogar and Patsy Lou Cogar; three brothers; four sisters; and one half-sister.

Surviving are six daughters, Olive Irene Jordan of Walkersville, WV, Wanda Pearl Fisher of Orlando, WV, Georgia Iowa “Shorty” Townsend of Maryland, Shirley Mae McCuskey, Lucy Marie Cogar of Diana, WV, and Linda Sue Lee of Buckhannon, WV; five sons, Spencer Lee Cogar of Orlando, James Calvin “Jim” Cogar of California, Richard McKinley Cogar of Ireland, WV, Harold Eugene Cogar of Ireland, and Randall Lynn Cogar of Orlando; one sister, Pearl Workman of Weston, WV; one brother, Lawrence “Larry” Lake of Jane Lew, WV; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Sara was a loving wife and homemaker, loved to travel, and was Methodist by faith. Friends were received Tuesday, September 23, at Boyle Funeral Home, Weston. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, at the Boyle Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Jimmie Joe Johnson officiating. Interment followed in Green Hill Cemetery.