In 1958, a caravan of honking cars made its way from Summertown toward Loretto, welcoming home a group of young ladies who had just accomplished something no other team in Tennessee had done. Among them was Sarah Green, a junior at Loretto High School who had helped the Lady Mustangs capture the first TSSAA girls' basketball state championship.

Nearly seven decades later, Sarah Evelyn (Green) Robison was still cheering for the Mustangs. Only now, instead of wearing a uniform on the court, she was a familiar face in the stands, encouraging players and coaches and celebrating the successes of new generations of Loretto athletes.

But basketball was only one part of Sarah's story. To those who knew her, she was a loving mother and grandmother, a gifted artist, a devoted Christian, and a friend whose warmth and kindness made people feel like family.

Born July 30, 1941, in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, to Robert Clinton and Ethel Ellis Green, Sarah developed a connection to Loretto that would remain with her throughout her life.

As a member of Loretto High School's 1958 girls' basketball team, Sarah was part of a remarkable season that saw the Lady Mustangs finish with a 28–1 record. Playing under Coach James "Red" McCoy, the team defeated Nashville's Isaac Litton 57–43 in the championship game at David Lipscomb College.

Basketball looked considerably different in those days. Girls played six-on-six, with three forwards and three guards occupying separate halves of the court. Sarah was a starting guard, helping lead a team that overcame challenges even before reaching the state tournament. With Loretto's gymnasium undergoing renovations, the Lady Mustangs practiced wherever they could find space and played home games at Lawrence County High School.

Fifty years later, when the team was featured in a March 2008 article in The Tennessean, Sarah recalled the tremendous support the team received from the Loretto community. She remembered that nearly everyone seemed to make the trip to Nashville, while some who couldn't attend reportedly drove far enough to pick up the radio broadcast in their cars.

The celebration afterward was unforgettable. Approximately 300 cars greeted the returning champions near Summertown, with horns sounding all the way back to Loretto. Sarah laughingly recalled hearing that some of those horns had been ruined from so much honking.

Yet when Sarah reflected on what made that championship team successful, she pointed to something beyond basketball.

"We were friends on the court. We were friends off the court. We did not have jealousy," she said.

She believed that friendship and the absence of jealousy helped carry the team through its championship season. Looking back at the life Sarah would lead, those words seem especially fitting. Friendship, encouragement, and bringing people together would remain important parts of who she was.

Although life eventually took Sarah away from Loretto, her hometown was never far from her heart. She raised her children, Kathy and Mike, in Austin, Texas, where she devoted herself to her family as a homemaker. More than 20 years ago, she returned to the community she loved.

After returning to Tennessee, Sarah worked at the Lawrence County Board of Education. She also spent a brief period back in Texas working at Westwood High School in Austin.

Through those different chapters of her life, Sarah developed friendships that stretched far beyond Lawrence County. Some began decades earlier and continued across state lines, while others were formed through the many interests and organizations that brought people into her life.

One of Sarah's greatest talents was her remarkable creativity.

She became an accomplished artist known for decorating eggs in the intricate style of Carl Fabergé. Her creations were far more than ordinary decorated eggs. They were detailed works of art that required patience, imagination, and a steady hand.

As a member of the International Egg Art Guild, Sarah attended the Dallas Egg Show for more than 25 years and participated in shows throughout the country. She was especially known for her beautiful handcrafted flowers, including delicate cold porcelain flowers that she created, taught others to make, and sold at egg shows in Northern California.

Her talents also extended to creating intricate sugar flowers that decorated countless wedding cakes.

Following Sarah's passing, fellow artists remembered the many good times they shared traveling to egg shows, displaying their work, and enjoying one another's company. One friend recalled always being happy when their display tables were near each other. Another shared how a beautifully decorated egg Sarah had given her remained a treasured keepsake.

Those memories offer a glimpse into something special about Sarah. She didn't simply create beautiful things. Through her talents, she created friendships and memories that others would carry with them for years.

Faith was another important foundation of Sarah's life. She was an active member of Loretto Methodist Church and participated in several organizations dedicated to fellowship and service. From 2016 to 2019, she served as Regent of the Buffalo River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was also a member of the Christian Women's Club for several years.

Her interest in family history extended beyond her leadership in the DAR. One longtime friend remembered the pleasure of researching ancestry together, describing Sarah as both a close friend and a fellow DAR member.

And, of course, there was always basketball.

Sarah's love for the Loretto Mustangs never faded. Whether the teams were celebrating a victory or working through a difficult loss, she could often be found cheering them on. She supported the players, encouraged the coaches, and rarely missed an opportunity to watch her beloved Mustangs compete.

In the fall of 2025, Sarah was recognized as the number one fan of Loretto High School's varsity boys' and girls' basketball teams.

For someone who had helped bring the school's first state basketball championship home in 1958, the recognition was especially meaningful. Sarah had gone from helping write one of the earliest chapters of Loretto basketball history to spending a lifetime supporting those who followed in her footsteps.

Yet those closest to Sarah knew that her encouragement wasn't reserved for the basketball court.

One friend described Sarah as being like a second mother and a personal cheerleader, someone who offered love, support, and encouragement through life's ups and downs. Another remembered how Sarah had blessed not only her own life but also the lives of her children.

Others recalled her warm hugs, beautiful smile, wonderful sense of humor, and the genuine happiness she brought into a room. One neighbor remembered how Sarah's friendly personality had helped welcome their family into the Loretto community.

Those descriptions became especially meaningful during Sarah's final months.

As her health declined, friends and neighbors continued visiting, calling, sending messages, and offering their support. Her daughter Kathy shared updates with loved ones and once humorously wondered whether she was spending more time managing her mother's social visits or her medical care.

It was a fitting reflection of Sarah's life. Even during difficult days, she was surrounded by people who wanted to spend time with her.

Her family expressed gratitude for the meals, flowers, prayers, calls, and visits provided by the Loretto community. Messages from friends near and far were shared with Sarah, allowing her to hear firsthand how deeply she was loved.

Sarah passed away on July 13, 2026, at the age of 84.

She left behind her daughter, Kathy Waite, and husband Scott; her son, Mike Robison, and wife Amy; six grandchildren, Ryan Waite, Taylor Waite, Caroline Robison Cure, Alexandra Robison Stogner, Nicholas Robison, and Sam Robison; and her great-granddaughter, Lainey Willow Cure.

Her family remembered a woman who had given them a lifetime of love, kindness, and unwavering support. Kathy described how difficult it had been to write her mother's obituary, but how the experience also reminded her of the extraordinary woman they had been blessed to call Mom.

Perhaps one of the most touching tributes came from her grandson, Ryan Waite.

Ryan described Sarah as his best friend, a woman whose positivity, Southern sweetness, and Christian faith influenced everyone around her. He remembered her belief that, through the Lord, people could accomplish whatever they set their minds to.

But it was one simple observation that seemed to capture what so many others had been saying about Sarah.

"She had a way of being everyone's gran."

For Ryan, she was his beloved grandmother. For so many others, she was a trusted friend, a source of encouragement, a familiar smiling face, or someone whose kindness made them feel as though they belonged.

Sarah Robison's place in Loretto history was secured long ago, when she and her teammates brought home that first TSSAA girls' basketball state championship. Her artistic creations brought beauty into people's homes, her community involvement reflected her desire to serve, and her devotion to Loretto athletics inspired generations of young people.

But perhaps her greatest accomplishment was something that could never be measured in championships, awards, or years of service.

It was the way she made people feel.

The championship banners will remain, the beautiful eggs she created will continue to be treasured, and the memories of her cheering from the stands will live on. But so will the kindness she shared, the friendships she nurtured, and the love she gave so freely.

Sarah Evelyn (Green) Robison helped make Loretto history, but she also helped make Loretto feel like home.

That is a legacy worth remembering, and that is why Sarah Evelyn (Green) Robison is our Loretto Legacy Monday honoree.

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Do you know someone whose life and legacy deserve to be remembered? Help us continue honoring the people who have made Loretto a better place by submitting a nomination for a future Loretto Legacy Monday feature.
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