Sarah Oleane Carter

Sarah Oleane (Worley) Carter, age 84, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2025, finally free from the challenges of Alzheimer’s. She was born on June 9, 1941, in the Wood Glenn community near Henderson, Texas, to John and Velma Worley.

Known as “Oleane” by her family, she was vibrant and full of life from an early age. During her school years, she played the accordion, was a cheerleader, and a member of the basketball team. She graduated as salutatorian from Cushing High School in Cushing, Texas, where she met her first husband, Charles “Chuck” Mullins. They married in 1960 and had two children, Gina and Tommy.

Oleane and Chuck lived in many places throughout their marriage—Dallas, Kansas, Norfolk, Northern Virginia, and Toronto—building friendships and sharing adventures along the way. They especially loved motorcycle trips, camping in the mountains, and even went multiple times to the South Dakota Sturgis Rally with their dear friends Tom and Gaye Rossi. Brave and independent, as Chuck travelled a lot with his work, Oleane would often drive cross-country alone with her children in tow to visit family and friends. Known affectionately as “Auntie-O,” she was the heart of many family gatherings and loved hosting large celebrations when they lived in Texas. She was always willing to help family or friends and was also not shy about giving out advice.

After their separation, Sarah moved to Virginia to be near her daughter and her growing family. She settled first in Newport News and later in Smithfield to be even closer to her beloved grandsons. She often kept all the boys or assisted in transporting them to various activities.

Thanks to needing her car repaired and a bit of divine intervention, Sarah met Jimmie Carter, and they quietly began dating. She surprised us all by showing up with him at a high school soccer game and introduced him as her “steady boyfriend”. They quickly fell in love and married. They made their home in downtown Smithfield, just a few houses from her grandsons. Jimmie’s unexpected passing in 2020 was a deep loss, but their twelve years together was a cherished blessing filled with joy, love and lots of laughter.

Sarah, lovingly known as “Grami-O,” adored her four grandsons—Nelson, Davison, Clayton, and Grayson Ippolito. From many adventures in the “golden spaceship” van to cheering at countless baseball or soccer games, theater performances, and school events, she was their biggest supporter and most enthusiastic fan. She was so proud of her “fine-young-men” but did heckle them endlessly during her Alzheimer’s years that they had not produced any great-grandchildren for her to hold.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John Samuel Worley and Velma Elizabeth (Jackson) Worley; her brothers, John and Clayton Worley; and her husbands, Chuck Mullins and Jimmie Carter.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Gina Rene Mullins Ippolito (Tom); her son, Tommy Randell Mullins; her grandsons, Nelson, Davison, Clayton, and Grayson Ippolito; her sister, Linda Sue Washburn; many beloved nieces and nephews; and her dear friends, Gaye Rossi and Syble Bassett.

Sarah’s energy, enthusiasm, and unwavering Christian spirit touched the lives of all who knew her. In her last few years, as she was battling Alzheimer’s, she lit up with smiles when talking to her son Tommy and her “baby-sister” Linda on the phone. She also appreciated the out-of-town visits from Tommy, Linda, Gaye, Tamera, Gwen and other local friends who stopped by to see her at Magnolia. The family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care she received from the staff at Riverside’s Magnolia Manor Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Hospice in Smithfield. Special thanks to Debra Pisarik and Beth Carr, both of whom understood and appreciated her unique sense of humor and went above and beyond to take care of her the past few years and in her final days to be peaceful.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Sarah’s memory to the: Riverside Foundation – Smithfield Make A Difference Fund, 701 Town Center Drive, Suite 1000, Newport News, VA 23606. Or to donate on-line visit riversideonline.com/give and pick Riverside Smithfield Hospital.

Online condolences may be registered at www.littlesfuneralhome.com