Sara Jane Hartshorn

Sara Jane Hartshorn, age 71, of Idaho Falls, formerly of Menan, passed away July 6, 2016 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, surrounded by family. Sara was born in Batesville, Arkansas July 15, 1944 to Opal Eudora Justus Sutton and Maynard Sutton, and was welcomed by a sister Jeanine and brother Teddy. They later moved to northern California where she lived the majority of her life, graduating from Alhambra High School. She received a degree in Education from Sonoma State University. Early in her career she taught elementary school and later taught English in the California prison system in both Blythe and Vacaville. In 1964 Sara married Larry Ridgel and they added to their family a daughter, Laura and a son, Blake. They later divorced and she married Capt. David Hartshorn ret. USN. Sara loved to travel with David and together they traveled the world. They moved to Idaho in 2005 to be closer to family and built Sara’s dream home on the Menan Buttes using the plans from the page of a magazine she had saved for many, many years. She is survived by her daughter, Laura (Wyn) Schwendiman of Menen, her son Blake of Suisun, California, sister, Jeanine (John) Rippee, sister-in-law, Laura Sutton, grandchildren, Nichole (Clifton) Weight, Emilie (Adam) Jones, Evan (Shyler) Byrd, Anne (Kyle) Gribble, 11 (soon to be 12) great-grandchildren, two nieces and five nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Teddy, and her husband, David. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m., Friday, July 8th, 2016 at Eckersell Memorial Chapel, 101 W. Main Street, Rigby. The family will receive friends from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. prior to services at the funeral home. Sara will be laid to rest next to her husband in the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California. The family extends their gratitude to the staff at Morning Star Senior Living and Aspen Home Health for their compassionate care during Sara's final years, as well as her nurses April and Angie. The family also expresses great appreciation for family friends Paul Chauvin and Kathy Martin. In lieu of flowers, please stop saying “those ones”, those is already plural. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Snake River Animal Shelter. Services are under the care of Eckersell Memorial Chapel in Rigby.