Sarah Ann O'Brien

Sarah Ann O’Brien (nee Pankonin) of Libertyville passed into the presence of her Lord Jesus on February 17, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. She was born in 1929 and raised with her three brothers on a farm in Wauconda, Illinois, loving the wonders and seasons of nature. She attended Texas State College for Women and graduated from University of Washington, after which she served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army at Walter Reed Army Hospital, where she met her husband Raymond O’Brien (1929-2015). They settled in Libertyville, raising together a family of eight children and innumerable animals of almost every variety. She was active in the Libertyville Evangelical Free Church (CrossLife) as a member and leader from 1963 to the present day and served on the Libertyville High School District 128 School Board for many years. She was likewise a Board member with Lydia Children’s Home in Chicago, a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity of Lake County, and a longtime supporter and advisor for Families in Training (FIT Moms) in Waukegan. Sarah’s volunteer work reflected her deep commitment to serving others, both locally and abroad. She devoted herself to organizations such as M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Preschoolers) and PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter), and she traveled twice to Honduras on mission trips with Medical Ministry International. Sarah also had a gift for making things beautiful, expressed through her love of gardening and her long-standing involvement with the Libertyville Garden Club. In all she did, Sarah’s life and generous heart for service were guided by her enduring faith. She was preceded in death by her parents Herman and Avis (Hayford) Pankonin, her brothers Wayne, Warren, and Harvey Pankonin, her husband Raymond, and her eldest daughter Catherine (“Kate”) O’Brien. She is survived by her children Eileen (Grant) Mitchell, Ceil (Steve) Folz, Matthew (Donna) O’Brien, Sarah (Herman) Klaus, Christopher (Heather) O’Brien, Maggie (Mark) Dryden, and Thomas (Lira) O’Brien-Dominguez, along with eleven grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. Services will be held at the CrossLife Evangelical Free Church, 431 W Austin Ave, Libertyville, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 with visitation beginning at 10:00 and funeral service at 12:00. Interment will follow at Lakeside Cemetery. Arrangements by Burnett-Dane Funeral Home in Libertyville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the FIT Moms program. For info: 847-362-3009 or share a memory at www.burnettdane.com.