Obituary of Sarah Madison Lawless

Sarah M. Lawless was born on February 1, 1932 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second of three children of Dr. Frederick and Geraldine (Conover) Madison. She died peacefully at the age of 84 on February 19, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sarah was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband of 32 years, James J. Lawless. She is survived by her sister Nancy (Santa Fe, New Mexico), her brother Fred (Lodi, Wisconsin); her three children Julia B. Sand (George), St. Paul, Minnesota; Mary Buzard (David Phipps), Southfield, Michigan; David Buzard, Minneapolis, Minnesota; two grandchildren Lily Sand and Henry Sand, St. Paul, Minnesota; one stepdaughter Wendy Lawless (David Kidd), Los Angeles, California; and step-grandchildren Alexander Sand, Brooklyn, New York, Harry Kidd, Los Angeles, California, and Grace Kidd, Los Angeles, California. Sarah married Don Buzard in 1955 and James J. Lawless in 1968. Sarah graduated from Northwestern University (1952). Her professional life included working as an Administrator for the Peace Corps and in Public Relations and Special Events at Dayton’s. Most of Sarah’s professional career was devoted to the arts, a field for which she had limitless passion, creativity and joy. In the early to mid-1960s, Sarah served as Manager at both The Actors Studio and at Theater Communications Group (TCG). She moved to Minneapolis in 1965 to work in administration at the Guthrie Theatre. She became the Executive Director of the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, the Denver Center Theatre Company in Colorado, and the Dean of the Institute of the Arts at George Mason University in Virginia. Sarah served on the Board of Directors of the American Arts Alliance in New York, Santa Fe Shakespeare Company, Santa Fe Chamber Orchestra and The Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also served as the Theater Chair at the National Endowment for the Arts. Sarah had an infectious sense of fun and zest for life that was an inspiration to her family, her friends and her colleagues. She was an intrepid adventurer, trailblazer and role model who was a wise and generous mentor and friend. Sarah had a full and wonderous life, and often said she would not have changed a thing about it. The family wants to especially thank Diane Light, R.N., C.M. of Allina Health Hospice who took great care of Sarah, and the N.C. Little Hospice facility where she was so lovingly cared for in her final days. The family also wishes to express deep gratitude to Jeri Nelsen, for the many ways in which she contributed to Sarah’s quality of life in her final years. A private memorial service will be held. Donations may be made N.C. Little Memorial Hospice, Inc., 7019 Lynmar Lane, Edina, Minnesota 55435, or to a charity of your choice.