Sarah Dudik

Sarah Jo (Grant) Dudik, 82, of Aquilla, peacefully departed this life early Friday morning, January 18, 2019 at a Waco hospital, with the love of her life and husband of 51 years, Alvin, was at her side. A Rosary will be recited 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Aderhold Funeral Home Chapel in West, followed by visitation until 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 21, 2019 at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West. Burial will follow at St. Marys Cemetery in West. Sarah Jo was born December 18, 1936 in Aquilla the daughter of William Isaac "Teenie" and Margaret (White) Grant. She and Alvin truly had a lifelong love, being born twelve days apart. As her older cousins were friends of Alvins family, they played together beginning around age 3 and started first grade together at Aquilla School. She began first grade at Aquilla and moved with her family to Waco shortly after World War II started when her father went to work for the Katy Railroad. Sarah attended South Junior and was a proud graduate of Waco High Schools "Fighting Class of 55." Turning down a full scholarship to Texas Womans University to remain in Waco and help her mother and younger sister, she immediately joined the staff of Texas Retail Grocers Association as a receptionist and eventually retired as Executive Director of the association and also served as a lobbyist, membership coordinator, and directed all mid-winter conferences and annual conventions before medically retiring in 1978. In addition, she was editor of the Texas Food Merchant for nearly 20 years. Sarah became the third generation of her family to have accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of five at First Baptist Church in Aquilla. She was baptized at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Waco and later sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. Following her mother into fraternal service in the Rebekah Lodge, Sarah filled all of the officer chairs including Noble Grand of F.M. Compton Lodge #87. Sarah and Alvin were married July 15, 1967, at St. Marys Catholic Church in Waco. Already a woman of strong faith, Sarah continued a strong church life until her health prevented her from participating any longer. Alzheimers Disease may have taken her short-term memory, but she never forgot the names of those closest to her, especially her family. She loved visits from their church family, priests, ministers, the West Polka Boys, and the musicians from Homestead Ministries in Chalk Bluff who came and sang for her so often. In retirement, Sarah dedicated her life to serving as a volunteer substitute teacher at Connally Elementary, was president of the PTA, directed plays and musicals at the school, and returned to politics when her son, Tony, decided to follow her into public service. Sarah served the Heart O Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America and Troop 498 in Lacy Lakeview on numerous troop committees, as a merit badge counselor, and gave all she could to improve the lives of countless boys and young men. In 2000, she and Alvin came out of Scouting retirement and served several years on the troop committee of Troop 494 in West. Sarah fell in love with Tarleton State University when Tony began his undergraduate work there and Alvin became involved as an alumni in the late 90s. Sarah and Alvin were fixtures at Tarleton Homecoming and alumni events for years and she truly felt of the college, the students, and alumni as extended family. They made regular trips to Stephenville and would hold court on Tony and Jennifers front porch, with an endless line of students and alumni friends coming to visit. Over a political life spanning some sixty years, she became the confidant of governors, members of Congress, senators, countless Texas legislators, and fought tirelessly for fairness and equality alongside her friends, the late Barbara Jordon, Ann Richards, and Bob Bullock. She stalked the halls of power in Austin and Washington and commanded the respect of allies and foes, alike. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother and sister-in-law, Jim "Sonny" and Jan Grant; and brothers-in-law, Don Romesburg and Robert Heath. Survivors include her beloved husband, Alvin, of Aquilla; a son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Jennifer Dudik of West; two grand-daughters, Della and Sophie Dudik of West; sisters, Billie Jean (Grant) Romesburg of Pasadena and Glenda Marie (Grant) Heath of Waco, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and her treasured Grant-Bunch cousins, as well as her "adopted" children, Kelly Mitcham Marsh, Jenny Sherman, Melissa Shields, and Tammy Perkins Waters. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Aquilla School Alumni Association, the Scottish Rite Hospitals for Children, the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Texas Knights of Columbus Disaster Relief Fund, The Joel Meador Family Endowed Scholarship Fund at Tarleton State University, the West Ministerial Alliance, or the cause of your choice.