Sara Jane Karabinchak, 86, of Fords, died peacefully at her William Street home on December 9, 2020, in the same room where she was born in the winter of 1934.

Her childhood was spent in Fords with three siblings; sister, Linda and brothers, Harding (deceased 2019) and David.

As a child Sara loved school and after graduating from Woodbridge High School, continued her education, eventually becoming an alumna of Douglass College at Rutgers University with a degree in Education.

Sara Peterson married her dear husband, Joseph Karabinchak (deceased 2002), in 1955.  They were married for 47 years, surrounded by family at that same home on William Street.

Sara chose to stay and teach where she grew up, first at Woodbridge High School and then Colonia Middle School.  She formed many friendships over her 37 years spent in those classrooms and hallways; many that lasted long after she retired in 1994.

"District Teacher of the Year" in 1987, Sara dedicated her decades in the classroom to making the world a better place, passionately educating her students about American Government and the importance of one's civic duty as a citizen of this great country.  Not a day went by that the United States flag wasn't proudly flying from the front porch of her home.

Sara was a parishioner of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Perth Amboy.  She loved traveling to California and South Carolina, but also to her backyard pool, where family, friends and neighbors gathered on many summer days.

Sara will be greatly missed as the faithful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin, neighbor, teacher and friend that she was over her 86 years.

A celebration of her life will be announced at a later date.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Costello-Greiner Funeral Home (costello-greiner.com), Woodbridge.