Sarah Shawn Casey
Sept. 16, 1977 – Jan. 1, 2020

When your spouse dies, they call you a widow(er). When your parents die, you’re an orphan. But there’s no English word for what you become when your child dies — whether that child is an infant or an adult. The closest word to describe this kind of loss is a Sanskrit word — VILOMAH — that means “against the natural order.”

On New Year’s morning, Sarah Shawn Casey, 42, died unexpectedly from complications of COPD. She was loved and will be missed by all who appreciated her smile, her wit and her humor and the depth to which she cared and loved. She will be mourned forever by her family and friends.

Sarah is survived by her mother (Donna Casey in Ruth), her father and stepmother (Michael and Nancy Casey in Hidalgo, Mexico), her sister (Tabitha O’Melay in Berkeley), her son (John Oliver Hayburn in Corning, Calif.) and the longtime love of her life (husband Steven Line in Fortuna). She also left behind her grandmother and aunties in Missouri and Texas.

She was the most beautiful butterfly.

When trying to speak of what would memorialize her life best, I find only tears, but that isn’t what she would’ve wanted. Sarah would want us to celebrate her freedom from all the harshness of today’s world.

And, she would want her son Johnny to know how truly and deeply she loved him.

She said once:

“I am what I am. I may not be perfect and I make mistakes - but when I care, I care with all my heart.”

Sarah did not want to be buried. She requested cremation. A celebration to set Sarah free is being planned for better weather. Interested parties should contact her mother for details at stillwater.creative@gmail.com.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Sarah Casey’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.