Ponte Vedra Beach’s Sarita May, A Beautiful, Graceful Southern Lady from Winston-Salem, North Carolina!
Direct from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Ponte Vedra Beach’s own Sarita May!
One always remembers the very first person they meet when moving to a new area. When I rolled into Ponte Vedra Beach on Monday evening, February 11th, 2008 I joked, but it was true, that I was unemployed, homeless, and drove a minivan (with a motorcycle in tow). Coming from Texas Sarita graciously welcomed me into her home for the first two weeks so that I could get oriented to the Modern Capital of the Golf World and begin a new career in golf!
My TROML Journal entry for that very first night referenced this Southern Angel Lady as a “gift from God—my new friend Sarita May.”
Sarita’s Gang, circa 2011, (L to R): Yours Tuly, Hers Truly, Chris. Sarah, & Margaret.
Along with Sarita, there was the expected “Welcoming Committee” to check out this new house guest—the neighborhood guy Chris, Alice from across the street and Chris’ house guest Mark. There were questions and conversations; a good time was had by all! This Southern Hospitality, meeting the ever expanding Sarita connections in Ponte Vedra, went on for the first two weeks! The time was well spent establishing myself in the golf community and preparing to go “out on tour” for the 4-week Florida Swing through Palm Beach Gardens,Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. By the time I left I had a job with NBC Sports during the Florida Swing and THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP at TPC Sawgrass. Life was good in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and it all started with the hospitality of Sarita May!
Sarita hosted countless social gatherings! This one during TPC for Andy & friends!
Before I left for the Florida Swing. Sarita would invite me to join her for the 9 am Service at Christ Episcopal Church. We would stay for the Rector’s Forum afterwards to further digest the Word of God. Over the years Maria and others would join us or rather I would join them as golf and life took me far from Ponte Vedra Beach for long periods of time. We would alternate hosting brunches too once I purchased my home in January 2011.
Sarita May took great care in everything she did whether as a realtor or a volunteer at Christ Church!
Of course, my ‘adopted Mom’ was also my real estate agent and provided many renovation suggestions for my humble abode—‘my Home Sweet Home, Ponte Vedra Beach, Ocean Grove, Creative Condo!’
A talented artist, Sarita created an extra-large impressionist painting for my newly decorated Creative Condo. Entitled “Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise,” here is the accompanying description that speaks so well of our dear and enduring friendship:
One of the many pieces of artwork created by Sarita May, this one a gift to me and of course my favorite! “Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise,”
“Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise” is an Impressionist painting by Sarita May. Like Claude Monet’s 1872 piece Impression, Sunrise that defined the movement, Sarita’s creation is a landscape.
Instead of the harbour of Le Havre, France the water beneath the sunrise is the Atlantic Ocean in Sarita’s Sunrise.
A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina she came to Ponte Vedra Beach by way of New York City where she studied art at the Institute of Design.
The artwork was requested by Sarita’s friend Andy Reistetter who came to the beach in February, 2008 to pursue a career in golf writing. Literally the first person he met was Sarita and he is happy to call her his “adopted mom” and that she chose to artistically capture his journey in Sunrise in Paradise. From Ragtime to the winding A1A that could have been an emerging hurricane the piece takes one to the palm tree gracefulness and TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in one adoring look.
But ultimately it is the beauty of Sarita’s Sunrise that captures the eye of the critic in a way that inspires one to seek and ultimately find their journey in life.
Sarita was always Number ONE!!!
“Impression — I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it … and what freedom, what ease of workmanship!” The words of Monet’s critic seem fitting for Sarita’s piece as well. Bon voyage!”
Over the years me and the ‘New Year’s Baby’ (her birthday was January 1st) grew older just like everyone else. We enjoyed our times together especially worship times at Christ Church and occasionally Pussers’ Friday happy hours on the balcony taking in a calm, sunlit late afternoon respite.
Though our seasons in life were slightly different, our love of life and our love of our Personal Savior and Lord Jesus Christ brought Sarita and I ever so close at times. Life at other times kept us separated. After a distant 2019 in which I was home in Ponte Vedra Beach only for 91 nights, we managed to come together for one last time on January 13th.
Worshiping at Christ Church…
When I had lunch with her she was the most joyous, most living in tranquility, and most optimistic that I had known her in the 12 years of our special friendship. All of us are praying for David’s full and speedy recovery. I trust and believe in my faith that Sarita is in an even better place now, free of all pain and truly living an eternal life in love, peace, and joy!
John 14:2-3. “In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you… that you also may be where I am.”
Sarita loved here children—Elizabeth with granddaughter Lauren and Chip with wife Holly. She also loved her little dogs as much as life itself. The name of her cherished dog—”Gracie”—reflects the journey all of us traveled with Sarita these past 12 years!
A Christ Church Easter Sunrise Service with Sarita…
When I look at her painting now, ”Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise,” and read the description and dedication of eight years ago, I realize that we enjoyed a taste of the promised Salvation, Eternal Life, and Spiritual Freedom right here in Ponte Vedra Beach… but now Sarita’s Sunrise and her Paradise is far much better!
May God Eternally Bless my friend Sarita May!
PLEASE NOTE: Sarita May was tragically killed in a senseless car accident on A1A in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on Monday Evening February 17th, 2020.
Eulogy of Sarita May Sparrow
I am grateful for this opportunity to say a few words about my dear friend Sarita. My heart goes out to her husband, her family, the Christ Church Community and all of Sarita’s friends. I feel your pain and loss too. This indeed will be a sorrowful Lenten Season.
I am wearing a tuxedo today because Sarita told me that if I ever gave her eulogy that I need to wear a tuxedo while doing so. Thank you Sarita. This is the first time that I ever had to fast on Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday so I could fit into this thing!
(Tapping chest, find another eulogy in the of the tuxedo)
Oh, and look here she even left me the eulogy to read…
The first thing being that her reported age was incorrect. She is forever 72. If retractions are not published quickly there will be Old Testament wrath to pay.
Thank you for this 30 minutes to share… what, only 3 minutes? Who ever here said hello OR GOODBYE to Sarita in 3 minutes? If you went to her house planning to leave in 30 minutes, it was always 3 hours later…
Before I make Sarita out to be the saint that she actually was… and nominate her for the Woman of the Year, yes Woman of the Year… I have to be honest and report that like all of us she was not perfect.
The only example I can recall of a Sarita imperfection, let’s call it Sarita’s inability to admit that she was wrong and to apologize. The closest I ever got to an apology was… “Andy, you must have misinterpreted what I said.”
Andy, you are 60 years old, here is how you should think, here is what you should do and here is how you should vote.
Sarita, let me get this straight, I am 60 years old, that is how I should think, that is what I should do, and that is how I should vote?
No Andy, you have misinterpreted what I said…
I loved Sarita May and I know everyone in this church loved her as well.
Sarita is not someone you forget. Her Southern beauty, charm, wit. She was artistic and creative with art, flowers, and food. Her life and her “way of life” were truly amazing.
I moved here 12 years ago almost to the day she passed. Sarita was the very first person I met in Ponte Vedra Beach. She graciously welcomed me into her home as her guest for the first two weeks.
My journal entry for that very first night referenced her as a “gift from God—my new friend Sarita May.”
Along with Sarita, there was the expected “Welcoming Committee” to check out this new house guest—the neighborhood guy Chris, Alice from across the street, Sarah the golf pro next door; later on Margaret, Maria, and so many more. There were questions and conversations; a good time was had by all!
This Southern Hospitality, meeting the ever expanding Sarita social network in Ponte Vedra has never really stopped for the last 12 years!
That very first weekend Sarita invited me to join her for the 9 am Service right here at Christ Episcopal Church. We would stay afterwards for the Clergy’ss Forum to learn more about the Scriptures. Over the years Maria and others would join us or rather I would join them as golf and life took me far from Ponte Vedra Beach for long periods of time. Sarita would typically host us for brunch after church.
Of course, my ‘adopted Mom,’ was also my real estate agent when I bought my home in Ponte Vedra Beach. She provided many renovation suggestions for my humble abode. As an interior decorator she was extraordinaire!
A talented artist, Sarita created an extra-large impressionist painting for my Creative Condo. Entitled “Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise,” I wrote the accompanying description for her work of art. These words speak well of our dear and enduring friendship:
A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina Sarita May came to Ponte Vedra Beach by way of New York City where she studied art at the Institute of Design.
Like Claude Monet’s 1872 Sunrise piece that defined the Impressionist movement, Sarita’s creation was also a landscape.
Instead of the harbour of Le Havre, France the water beneath Sarita’s sunrise is our Atlantic Ocean.
In one adoring look, Sarita’s landscape takes one gracefully down a winding road from Ragtime in Atlantic Beach to the palm trees, the island green and the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass. Like life, on some days the graceful journey appears easy yet on other days as though a hurricane is emerging.
But ultimately it is the beauty of Sarita’s Sunrise that captures the eye of the critic in a way that inspires one to seek and ultimately find their journey in life.
The original Sarita Sunrise artwork is in Westbury Hall for all to enjoy after the Service.
Over the years the ‘New Year’s Baby’ and I grew older just like everyone else. We enjoyed our times together especially worship times at Christ Church and happy hours at Pussers… our late Friday afternoon respites of sunshine, tranquility and friendship.
Life at other times kept us separated. After a distant 2019 in which I was away practically the whole year, we came together for one last time on January 13th.
That day, I am forever grateful for, Sarita was the most joyous, the most tranquil, and the most optimistic that I had known her in the 12 years of our special friendship. She was in love with David.
I mentioned “WOMAN of the YEAR’ and here is my pitch for Sarita’s nomination:
Ever since I remember the theme here at Christ Church is to: BE BOLD!
Well Sarita was a woman of faith. She was BOLD in a lot of ways and recently VICTORIOUS in one particular way.
She acted on her faith and found David again, “the love of her life” and this time married him and was preparing to move back home to North Carolina. All of this at the age of 72.
Think about that and tell me of another woman who has done such a thing purely for love?
Sarita was defined by love—the love of faith, the love of life, the love of David and the love of each one of us here today… remembering and celebrating her life.
Sarita loved her children—Sarita loved her daughter Elizabeth—Sarita loved her granddaughter Lauren—Sarita loved her son Chip and his wife Holly. She also loved little dogs. The name of her last cherished dog—”Gracie”—grace itself reflects the journey that all of us has traveled with Sarita over the years!
When I look at her painting now, ”Life’s Journey Brings One to a Sunrise in Paradise,” and read the description and dedication of eight years ago, I realize that we, you, me, and Sarita enjoyed a momentary taste of the Promised Salvation, Eternal Life, and the Spiritual Freedom to be who God destined is to be… all right here on earth; all right here in Ponte Vedra Beach… but now Sarita’s Sunrise and her Paradise is far much better!
Sarita is not gone. Her spirit will live eternally and shine brighter each day.
We miss you and love you Sarita May Sparrow
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