Obituary – Sarah Ellen Buckingham Sarah Ellen Buckingham, age 91, of Decatur, Iowa passed away at her home Saturday, April 16, 2016, surrounded by her family. She was born to Fredrick Tillman and Lucy Ann (Butts) Smith on April 3, 1925, in Leon, Iowa. Sarah married James Robert Buckingham of Leon on July 31, 1946. They were blessed with four daughters, Jane, Judy, Jeannette, and Janice. The family lived in Des Moines, Iowa where Sarah owned and operated Sarah’s Salon. She later worked in the binding department at Look Magazine and Meredith Burda Printing. After she retired, they moved to southern Iowa. Sarah was a member of St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Leon. They wintered in Apache Junction, Arizona for approximately ten years. They especially enjoyed their trips to Lake Powell. She enjoyed fishing, quilting, crocheting, and many other things. She also loved to play Solitaire on her Kindle tablet and go to the Casino to eat and play the slots. Preceding her in death were her parents; daughter, Janice Hatch; grandson, Todd Harper; son-in-law, Cleo Craven; and siblings, Ray, Roy, Floyd, Edna, and James Smith, Florence Turpen, and Mary Fender. Survivors include her husband of nearly 70 years, James Buckingham of Leon, Iowa; her children, Janie and Clint Vonk of The Villages, Florida, Judy Craven of Leon, and Jeannette Buckingham of Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren, Stacy & Gregg Blackford, Cory Thompson, Tiffany Young, Jamie & Stacie Hatch, Jeanean Hatch, and Shane Roerig; great grandchildren, Brandiss Blackford, Darcy Blackford, Bruce Miller, Jr., Bryce Miller, Brooklyn Roerig, Taylor Hatch, Ashlyn Hatch, and Kyler Hatch; great, great grandson, C.J. Miller; sister, Rosetta Buckingham of Leon; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Leon, Iowa at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, 2016, Burial will be in the Leon Cemetery, Leon, Iowa. A rosary will be held at the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon at 6 p.m. Friday, April 22, 2016, with visitation following. A memorial fund has been established by the Family.