Sarah Jo Westfield

Sarah Jo Westfield, 74, a life long resident of Cleveland, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2012. She was a proud graduate of College Hill High School and attended Cleveland State Community College. She worked in the Bradley County Executive Office for many years. She was the first black female deputy under Lamar Lawson and was a juvenile officer under his administration. She was also a probation officer. Mrs. Westfield was also the first black female elected to the Cleveland City Council. She was a Red Cross volunteer where she was a swimming instructor. She was a member of St. James Cumberland Presbyterian Church and attended Maple Street Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Haile S. Westfield, Sr. and her mother, Ella B. Young. She is survived by her children, Haile Westfield, Jr. and wife Yolanda Collins Westfield of Chattanooga and Orlando Westfield, Omelia Westfield Powers and Boris Westfield, all of Cleveland; seven grandchildren, Haile Gibson III, Bathsheba Gibson, Vanna Lynn Gibson, all of North Carolina and Katie Dills, Kamran Westfield, Simone Westfield and Julian Westfield, all of Cleveland; several nieces and nephews; and special friends, Dewayne Hicks, Brian Smith, Paul Ezell and Warren Batts. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Mayor Tom Rowland and Miles Howard officiating. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home prior to the service. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Westfield family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.