Sarah Stuard Detmer

In Loving Memory of Sarah Stuard Detmer

1936-2025

Sarah Stuard Detmer, née Sarah Allison Stuard, passed away of natural causes on February 12, 2025, in Oxford, Pennsylvania, at the age of 88.  She was born on August 25, 1936, in Auburn, New York, to Evelyn Rowena Covey Stuard, a school librarian, and Henry Donald Stuard, a medical doctor.

Sarah attended Bucknell University and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Johns Hopkins University followed by a master’s degree in nursing administration from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.  While working as a Hopkins nurse, she met Lawrence McCormick Detmer, a young hospital administrator.  They married in July 1960 and together raised their children, Allison and Stuard.

A passionate advocate for nurses and patients, Sarah began her career in home healthcare at Miles Square Community Health Center on the south side of Chicago, serving patients in the housing projects.  She later ran the Visiting Nurse Association in Evanston, Illinois.   As a nursing administrator, she worked at two prominent Chicago hospitals:  Rush University Medical Center and Northwestern University Memorial Hospital.  She also worked as Nursing Director at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle and Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.  She launched a home healthcare agency in rural Virginia, and she finished her career as an interim nursing director at hospitals in Ohio, Kansas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.  She retired at the age of 72.

With an endearing smile and an infectious laugh, Sarah loved hosting company and making her guests feel welcome and appreciated.  She was a devoted mother and grandmother, a cherished friend, and an admirer of nature and large dogs.  Sarah especially enjoyed her view of the North East River at Hances Point, with its ospreys, herons and eagles.

Sarah is survived by her brother, Douglas Stuard, and his wife, Denise; her son, Stuard Detmer, and his wife, Vera; her daughter, Allison Detmer Carpenter, and her husband, Adam; her grandchildren—Angela Detmer, and her husband, Adam Wnuk, Austin Detmer, Covey Laurence Carpenter, and Evelyn Carpenter; and her great-grandchildren, Romy Wnuk and Adele Rose Wnuk.

Services in celebration of Sarah’s life and legacy will be held at 11 am on March 29th at Saint Mary Anne’s Episcopal Church in North East, Maryland.  A reception will follow immediately at the church’s parish center.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to:

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation: https://secure.cbf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=1502&mfc_pref=T&1502.donation=form1or

The Saint Mary Anne’s Food Pantry:

By check sent to Saint Mary Anne’s (write Food Pantry in the note) at 315 S. Main Street, North East, MD 21901.  Or online at https://www.stmaryanne.org/

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
c/o Crouch Funeral Home, P.A., 127 South Main Street, North East MD 21901
Web: https://secure.cbf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=1502&mfc_pref=T&1502.donation=form1or

St. Mary Anne's Food Pantry
315 South Main Street, North East MD 21901
Web: https://www.stmaryanne.org/