September. 16, 1997 - December 8, 2024
Our beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend Sarah Kathryn Dayton passed peacefully to her heavenly home on December 8, 2024, with her mother and father by her side in Bear Valley Springs, California, following a courageous twelve-year battle with chronic illnesses.
Sarah was born on September. 16, 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Sally and Dave Dayton. Sarah’s spent her early childhood years in Park City, Utah, where she became an accomplished gymnast, skier and ice skater. With discipline, she earned her brown belt in karate and was honored to be on a demonstration team. She won the school’s Presidential Award for scholastic achievement while attending elementary school in Enid, Oklahoma. Sarah moved to Tehachapi California where she attended middle school and Tehachapi High School. Sarah enjoyed participating on the Tehachapi High School cheer team where in 2015 the team won their first CIF section Cheer Championship in their division and placed second in a National Competition. Sarah attended Cero Cosa College where she worked toward a degree in Child Development.
Sarah was deeply involved with the Bear Valley Church where she sang with the Worship Team ministry. Sarah had a passion for working with children and made lifelong relationships within the church family. Sarah worked as a childcare aide with the Bear Valley Church and was a nanny to many children in the Bear Valley Springs community. Sarah was involved with the Bear Valley Church missionary home construction projects in Mexico for several years.
As Sarah faced the many physical challenges in life, she did so with grace and strength, always with the support of her family. Sarah was blessed with finding a service dog (Oliver) who was more than a companion. She custom self-trained Oliver to be her medical alert service dog as the two were inseparable. She was an active advocate for people with chronic illness. She developed web pages for support groups, including Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and service dog rights awareness.
Sarah enjoyed arts and crafts, journaling and researching. She had pen-pals throughout the world. Sarah created a home business of propagating, growing and selling unique house plants. She enjoyed traveling and visiting many states with her family. Sarah cherished all genres of music. If you knew Sarah, you would know she was a huge Taylor Swift fan (Swiftie) and had the time of her life attending the ERAs Tour. As for adventure, she created many happy memories with loved ones going on trips to Disneyland and other parks. Her thoughtfulness and devotion to friends and family will be greatly missed. In the spring, a memorial tree will be planted on Grandmother Boydston’s estate on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. This was Sarah’s most cherished “happy place.”
Sarah was preceded in death by her grandparents, Thelma and Huntley Dayton of Scotts Valley, Ca., Jim and Betty Evans of Enid, Ok., John D Boydston of Checotah, Ok., and Aunt Jamelyn Evans Lopez of Twin Falls, Id. She is survived by her mother, Sally Beth Dayton; father, David L. Dayton of Tehachapi, Ca.; brothers Jameson (Jamie) and Benjamin (Ben) Dayton of Boise, Id., grandmother Beth Evans Boydston of Checotah, Ok., caring aunts and uncles, Greg and Bonnie Evans of Lees Summit, Mo., Robert and Michele Evans of Ringwood, Ok., Joe and Krista Evans of Stillwater, Ok., Denise and Curtis Tucker of Enid, Ok., Steve and Kayelyn Appling of Edmonds, Ok., Tim and Sue Baker of Scotts Valley, Ca., as well as many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A Celebration of Life service for Sarah will be held Friday, January 3 at the Bear Valley Church (26180 Plateau Way, Tehachapi, CA 93561) beginning at 1 p.m. Please send charitable donations to the Ehlers Danlos Foundation.
