Sarah E. McNealy

Sarah Elizabeth McNealy was born September 12, 1940, the 6th of nine children born to Leslie and Helen Ryan. She grew up near what was then the outskirts of Omaha on 75th and Pacific with a large extended family nearby, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Sarah attended Loveland Elementary School and Westside High School and married Bob McNealy on March 29, 1957 in Omaha. In the early years of their marriage Sarah worked at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co.as a key punch operator, an early form of data entry. Her husband Bob worked at the feed lot in South Omaha initially, until he became a diesel mechanic.

After multiple years of trying, Sarah and Bob found they would be unable to have children of their own. In 1964 they adopted a boy, Bobby, and in 1970 they adopted a girl, Sarah Ann. Sarah was a stay at home mom until the kids started school, and moved from part-time to full time as the kids got older. She worked as a bookkeeper at various businesses, and these skills were handy later on when she and Bob started their own business. They opened Prairie Corners Truck Repair, Inc in 1990, and with Bob’s mechanical expertise and Sarah’s accounting skills the business was a success and was in operation for almost 15 years with many loyal customers and a team of expert diesel mechanics.  

Sarah had a wide range of interests. In her earlier years, she enjoyed baking cakes and pies for the family, and enjoyed hosting birthday parties for her children. She also enjoyed sewing and crafts. She sewed outfits for herself and the kids, and had a strong interest in ceramics.  She had a talent for decorating, and visitors always complimented her on her decorating tastes and style. Sarah also enjoyed oil painting and has left multiple beautiful canvases behind for us all to enjoy.  

In her later years she continued to enjoy spending time with her great-grandchildren and family get-togethers, watching HGTV and classic movies, and reading her Bible.  

Sarah was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years: Robert; parents: Helen & Leslie Ryan; siblings: Pricilla Theisen, Dan Ryan, Bill Ryan, Leslie Ryan, Jr.; She is survived by her children: Robert B. McNealy, Sarah Ann McNealy (Mike Carlin); grandchildren: Sarah Starr Gray (Brett), Sean Haupt, Amber Hamilton (Dan), Cheyenne Jones; great-grandchildren: Sadie Gray, Stella, Archer, and Olive Hamilton, and Marley Jones; siblings: Dorcas Saab, Mike Ryan, Paul Ryan, John Ryan.