Sarah "Lavenia" Spence, age 81, of Panama City, Florida passed away on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. She was born to the late Roy Thrift and Nettie Thomas Godbee on January 7, 1936 and was an only child.
At the young age of 14, Sarah became the wife of the late Thomas Spence and soon became a military wife. During her husband's military career, she traveled to California and Alaska, where she became a mother to Linda Dale Spence and the late Thomas Wesley Spence and grandmother to the late Thomas Justin Spence Sr.
Sarah worked in childcare for many years and became mammaw to many children but Thomas Justin Spence Jr. was her most cherished child, as he was her great-grandson.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Grace Fellowship with Pastor Jason Lowrey and Pastor Max Beauchamp officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Graveside services will be held on Monday at 1 p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.