Sarah Liggon

Sarah Liggon peacefully passed away the morning of November 4, 2023 in Ft Lauderdale, FL at the age of 87. She is survived by her children; son Gene Pitts (and Joyce Pitts) of Shelby, MS, daughter Patricia Minor (and Horace Minor) of Columbia, MD, daughter Lillian Gilford of Atlanta, GA, daughter Marcella Anderson (and Erik Anderson) of Oakland, CA, daughter Brenda Horton of Pleasanton, CA, daughter Gwendolyn Horton-Miller (and Vaughn Miller) of Sugar Land, TX, daughter Salone Horton of Houston, TX, son Monsterville Horton (and Bhakti Khatri-Horton) of Houston, TX, son Sidney Horton (and Jennifer Santos) of Emeryville, CA, daughter Evelyn Horton-Raymond of Houston, TX, son Dexter Horton (and Ava Horton) of Miami, FL, son Pedro Horton Sr. of Homestead, FL, and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her siblings; brother Richard Pitts (and Evelyn Pitts) of Gautier, MS, sister Ludy Mae Pitts of Shelby, MS, brother Willie Bee Pitts of Shelby, MS, sister Clara Pitts of Cahokia, IL, brother Eddie Lee Pitts of Sumner, IL, sister Mary Lee Pitts-Daniel of Sumter, SC, and sister Willie Mae Wade (and Ray Wade) of St.Louis, MO.

Sarah is preceded in death by her father, Zebedee Pitts Sr. of Shelby, MS in 1980, sister Erma Lee Williams of Shelby, MS in 2005, brother James Pitts of Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2010, son Rison "Roger" Pitts of Jacksonville, FL in 2017, mother Gertrude Pitts of Cleveland, MS in 2019, brother Jesse Lee Pitts of Wheaton, IL in 2021, brother Zebedee Pitts Jr. of Indianola, MS in 2023, and most recently, her zealous and self sacrificing caregiver and daughter, Hellen "Hailey" Horton of Davie, FL on October 8, 2023.

Now, Sarah was born January 26, 1936 in Leland, MS to father Zebedee Pitts Sr. and mother Gertrude (Whitfield) Pitts. She was the second of eleven children. She was introduced to her childhood sweetheart, Monsterville Horton by his mother Eveline, and they were soon married. They moved to his hometown of Mound Bayou, MS shortly after marriage. Sarah gave birth to fourteen children, six boys and eight girls. She was known for saying, "I love all my children the same."

Sarah often prayed with her children while kneeling down at the bedside. She would beg God to help her raise her children. As Jehovah knows those who belong to Him, Sarah would first come into contact with Jehovah's Witnesses in the late 1960s when a very special Pioneer sister, Jackie Hart (now Jackie Peoples) who was serving where the need was great, knocked on Sarah’s door and offered her a free home Bible study. Sarah agreed, but soon discontinued her Bible study.

Though Sarah did not continue her Bible study, she was agreeable to having Sis. Jackie study with all her children. Jehovah did indeed answer Sarah’s fervent prayer to “help me raise my children.” And, as a result, 9 of the 14 children became dedicated baptized witnesses of Jehovah God. Naturally, they regularly prayed that their mom, Sarah, would one day serve Jehovah alongside them.

Eventually, the family would move to South Florida, and Sarah’s children continued to flourish spiritually, Consequently, their prayers would be answered more than four decades later. Starting with Sarah resuming her study with Bible teacher, Sis. Minnie Bell Darby (the mother of her son-in-law, Vaughn Miller) until Sis. Darby fell ill. Shortly afterwards, while working as an Elderly Assistant through the local Community Center (where she received many awards and accolades for her skillful service to the elderly), Sarah met Sis. Christine Detore. This encounter with Sis. Detore lead to her resuming her Bible study.

In time, Sarah progressed to the point of the dedication and was baptized on December 28, 2013 in West Palm Beach, Florida, some 45 years after the initial call in the late 60’s. Indeed, Sis. Peoples planted, Sis. Darby and Sis. Detore watered, but Jehovah is certainly responsible for Sarah’s spiritual growth. Yes, Sarah loved Jehovah and spoke with certainty regarding the resurrection promise. And, as Sarah would say, “I’ll see you in Paradise!”

THEME SCRIPTURE: “Then he said: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your Kingdom.” And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”” (Luke 23:42, 43) NWT Bible