Obituary of Sara A. Richburg-Lockridge
Sara Alice Richburg Lockridge
October 12, 1932 – May 15, 2026
Luverne, Alabama ✦ Troy, New York
Sara Alice Richburg was born on October 12, 1932, in Luverne, Alabama, the daughter of a family whose roots ran deep in the rich soil of the South. After a short illness, she entered eternal rest on May 15, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, service, and indomitable spirit.
In the 1950s, Sara came to Troy, New York, with her family as part of the Great Migration — the historic journey of Black Americans from the South to the North in search of new opportunity and a better life. It was in Troy that she met the love of her life, Jordan C. Lockridge, and the two were united in marriage in 1953. Together they built a home, a family, and a life that touched countless others.
A Neighbor, a Nurse, a Rock
The Lockridge family lived at the Taylor Apartments complex in Troy in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and it did not take long for the neighbors to discover what a treasure they had in Sara. As a trained nurse, she was the quiet anchor of the community. Parents throughout the building knew to knock on the door of Apartment 8B — "Find Mrs. Lockridge" — whether it was to remove a marble lodged in a curious child's nose, coax a splinter from a tiny finger, or perform emergency maneuvers on a choking child long before such techniques had a household name. She gave her skills freely and without hesitation, because that was simply who she was.
Her professional life was as varied and vital as the woman herself. Sara's career spanned nursing at Leonard Hospital, administrative experience at Adirondack Steel Company and Albany Medical Center, civic service with the United States Census Bureau and the New York State Assembly, and a lifelong dedication to education, studying nursing, business, and early childhood education well into adulthood. A true lifelong learner, she never stopped growing.
A Life of Service
Sara's commitment to her community extended far beyond her professional work. She volunteered with Meals on Wheels, the Cathedral of All Saints, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center — where she delighted in the many free concerts offered to volunteers. She was a dedicated supporter of HeadStart, and was a proud member of the steering committee that brought the first HeadStart program to the Capital District, a pioneering achievement that has benefited generations of children and families.
A Woman of Many Passions
If you wanted to understand Sara Lockridge, you had only to watch how she lived. She was a woman of extraordinary breadth and joy.
Sports were in her blood. She played on the championship Girls' Basketball team at Luverne High School and carried her love of the game throughout her life as a devoted fan of the Golden State Warriors and — in her words and the words of her family — her favorite player, Steph Curry. Go Warriors! She and her husband Jordan were both members of the a bowling League, Sara as a Topperette and Jordan as a Topper, sharing the lanes as they shared so much else in life. She also took up golf and was an early practitioner of yoga, ahead of her time in nearly everything she did.
Sara's kitchen was a place of legend. She was renowned for her pear cobbler, banana pudding, lasagna and her celebrated "drunk" chicken, among many other dishes that made her table a destination for family and friends alike. She loved to garden, tending many plots at local community gardens alongside her sister. And she was a devoted animal lover, fiercely and loyally accompanied through the years by her beloved companions Laddie, Baby, Tori, Chia, Sparky, and our BELOVED Harry.
She loved to travel — whether loading up a car full of children and heading South to visit family in the summer heat, zipping along on the back of a motorcycle along the Southern California coast, taking a scenic train to Montreal, gliding across beautiful Lake George aboard the Minne-Ha-Ha for a birthday excursion, or boarding a flight and being the only member of her group thoughtful enough to have remembered the in-flight "beverages." She brought delight wherever she went.
When she wasn't out in the world, Sara could often be found at home with The Golden Girls or Family Feud on the television, a good book in hand, and — more often than not — a grandchild or several close by. Whether she was spending a lazy day on the beach, chaperoning a memorable adventure to Storytown USA / The Great Escape or the Catskill Game Farm, or simply relaxing at home, her door was always open. She was always ready to listen, always ready to laugh, and always ready to cry with you when that was what you needed. Her grandchildren — many, many, many grandchildren, as the family would say with a knowing smile — knew that in Grandma's presence, they were seen, loved, and welcome.
As a parent, Sara was present for everything. She volunteered at every activity her children pursued — bowling leagues, Little League baseball, track and field, football, art classes, modeling shoots, choir practice, and everything in between. Her children never had to wonder if their mother was watching. She always was.
Faith and Devotion
Sara was a woman of deep and abiding faith, lived quietly but powerfully through daily meditation and personal devotion to the Lord. Over the years she worshipped as a communicant at Holy Cross Episcopal Church and the Cathedral of All Saints, and most recently at First Church of Albany. She was able to find community and spiritual sustenance at her recent services, which she said served all of her needs in a timely (30 minutes) and convenient (drive-in) manner.
Preceded in Death
Sara was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jordan C. Lockridge, in 1996, and by her eldest daughter, Linda LaRue Lockridge-Little (Charles), in 2021. She joins them now in eternal rest.
She Leaves to Cherish Her Memory
Sara is survived by six devoted children: Michael Lockridge, Kathy Collins(Joe), Michele Lockridge, Kim Lockridge-Hetko (John), Joseph Lockridge (Shawntay), and Jason Lockridge (Aishia). She is also survived by 22 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren — a family she loved without measure and who loved her without end.
Sara Alice Richburg Lockridge's greatest legacy was simple and profound: she helped as many people as she could, for as long as she could, in every way she knew how. From the families who knocked on the door of Apartment 8B, to the children who benefited from HeadStart, to the friends and neighbors she nursed through illness, to the grandchildren she held close — she poured herself out in love and service, again and again, without keeping score. She was a special lady, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her and were blessed enough to love her.
"Well done, good and faithful servant."
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at John J. Sanvidge Funeral Home, 565 Fourth Avenue, Troy, NY 12182. Calling hours 9:00–11:00 am, with services to follow. Committal Service will be held in Oakwood Cemtery, Troy.
The service at 11:00 a.m. will be livestreamed.
To view the livestream, use the following link:
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In Loving Memory
Sara Richburg-Lockridge
1932 - 2026