Sarah Lyle Johnson, affectionally known by family and college friends as “Sally”, 77, of Williamsburg, VA passed away on August 7, 2026. Born July 12, 1949 in Newport News, VA, she was preceded in death by her father, Leslie Firth Johnson and mother, Marion French Johnson.
Sarah attended John Marshall High School in Richmond, VA and graduated class of 1967. From 1967 to 1971, she earned her AB Degree from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Lastly, she graduated class of 1974 with a MA in French from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT.
She spent many years as a High School French teacher in the North Carolina Public Schools, including— Gaston High School (1971 to 1978) and Roanoke Rapids High School (1981 to 2003). She was very passionate about teaching French to her students.
Sarah was a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Roanoke Rapids, NC. The last few years she lived in Williamsburg, VA with her very special friend and caregiver, H. Swanson Grizzard. She will be remembered for her warm spirit, her beautiful smile, her love of family and friends, and her many interests.
She and Swanson would often eat at restaurants, visit art museums, walk around Colonial Williamsburg, and go on vacation trips. She enjoyed knitting, traveling, taking photographs, and ancestry research.
During homecoming weekends, Sarah enjoyed hanging out with college friends and watching William & Mary football games. She was fond of eating ice cream sundaes and frozen custard on hot days.
She loved family vacations and gatherings, and especially loved her pet dogs, Cooper and Cricket.
Sarah is survived by her friend Swanson Grizzard; siblings, Cary J. Lynch and Mary Ellen Stroud of Chesapeake, VA; and nieces, Anne W. Eaton of Evanston, IL and Jennifer Leghart of Whittier, CA; and her great-nephews, Lex Leghart, Oliver Leghart, Cameron Eaton-Strong, and Logan Eaton-Strong.
A memorial service is planned at All Saints’ Episcopal Church on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 11:30 AM.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Sarah’s memory can be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
