Sarah Jane Smith

PRINCETON, LA - Sarah Jane Heffner Smith, age 66, lost her courageous battle with a long-term illness on August 10th, 2018 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her devotion to her family and her firm belief in God supported her in her painful struggle and he finally answered her prayer and gave her rest. Sarah Jane Smith\'s life began on November 20, 1951, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the only child of Celine Landry Heffner and Nevada Little Heffner (\"Bates\"). After her father's passing in 1964, Sarah and her mother moved to Bossier City to be near family. Sarah Often recalled though how much she missed her beloved New Orleans and her fond childhood memories but would always follow with a \"...but, if we hadn't (moved here) I would have never met My very best friend, Marsha Taylor\". Marsha and Sarah were inseparable. Sarah often told stories of their many misadventures including often trading places and pretending to be one another to fool dates in the Kokomo. Anyone who knew Sarah knew she loved to tell stories....many larger than life, stories of her \"Crazy\" Cajun family or stories of her younger years. Her life and her heartwarming and sometime humorous stories will live on in our memories and hearts forever. Sarah graduated from Bossier High School in 1969. She went on to work in office management, but education was her heart and later became a substitute teacher until her health wouldn't allow her. Sarah was a wonderful loving and caring Mother and grandmother and spoiled her grandkids constantly. Some of her favorite things were making pancakes and ice cream sandwich cake for her grandkids; she loved cooking and sharing \"secret\" recipes, all things Elvis, all things butterflies she loved singing and sewing, she also loved Facebooking, Pinterest, and long conversation, as well as \"getting after\" her sons with a wooden spoon when they worked her nerves. Her loved ones that were there to welcome her into paradise were her late husband William \"Bill\" Smith, her Mother and Father, Celine and Nevada, her dear Step-Father, Easton Benoit, and her daughter- in-law, Rachel. She is survived by her three children, Fred Raley III, his wife, Andis Raley, Stephen Raley, Whitney Prater,and her husband, Anthony Prater; and her absolute pride and joys, her 8 grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Callie, Summerlyn, Hunter, Aiden, Gaberiel, Madilynn and Evie; as well as her Lifelong friends Fred Raley Jr., Marsha Taylor Sinks and Rebecca Eiland; many beloved cousins that are too numerous to list; and last but not least her 7 fur babies. Her memorial will be held at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, August 25, 2018, at Calvary Chapel located at 2115 Line Ave. Shreveport, La 71104, followed by a small reception.