Sara Jane (Deniston) Van Skyock

12/17/1940 - 8/22/2026

Sara Van Skyock, 85, of Fortville, Indiana passed away on Saturday August 22, 2026 at her home. She was born December 17, 1940 to the late Frank "Doc" James Deniston and Kathryn (Midlam) Deniston in Union City, Indiana/Ohio. Sara contracted polio when she was a child. She went on to have many surgeries on her legs that helped her walk for the rest of her life. She always considered herself lucky that she could walk and wasn't in an iron lung. She married Gary M. Van Skyock on July 5, 1958 in Union City, Indiana. They were teenagers and turned out to be very successful parents.

Sara is survived by her four children: Trina (Gary) Houston; Brian (Diana), Barry (Stephanie) and Terry Van Skyock; five grandchildren: Tanya (David) Siebel, Kari (Bryce) Bundy, Michael (Sarah) Van Skyock and Hunter and Halle Van Skyock; and nine great-grandchildren: Ella, Lucy, Ollie and Shiloh Bundy; Rafe, Heath and Darla Siebel; and Gavin and Brooklynn Van Skyock.

Sara was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years Gary M. Van Skyock; her parents; all nine of her siblings; brothers Jim, Ed, Joe and John Deniston; sisters Mary Cahill, Ann Consillio, Evelyn Smith, Patsy Sheets and Candy Cross; and great-grandchildren Mason Forrest Bundy and Avery Rose Van Skyock.

Sara was a self-employed hairdresser at Cut N Style for many years to help pay for her children's college tuition. She always had the most beautiful hair and her hair maintained its natural color and beauty until the end.

Sara had a green thumb and always loved to work in her flower beds. When she received potted flowers as gifts from her family she would most often plant them in her flower beds and they would thrive, even flowers that aren't supposed to live in Fortville's plant hardiness zone. She lovingly maintained a Christmas cactus that started with her Mom. She especially loved roses and was a rose bush tester for Jackson Perkins for many years. Her favorite rose bush was her Mr. Lincoln.

Bird-watching in her backyard was one of Sara's favorite pastimes. She loved tending to the care and feeding of the many birds that came to her yard: owls, hawks, cardinals, woodpeckers, bluebirds, bluejays, goldfinches, robins and more. Hummingbirds were her favorite and are very active in her yard.

Bowling was another one of Sara's favorite pastimes. Sara and Gary both bowled for several decades at Hindel Bowl and All Star Bowl on the east side of Indianapolis. Sara would often win the high-game pot and/or the 50/50 pot with only one ticket. She was lucky.

Sewing and Ceramics were two of Sara's favorite hobbies. She was great at both. Sara painted many beautiful ceramic pieces over the years.

Sara belonged to several civic organizations over the years, most notably the Welcome Wagon in Indianapolis. She made stuffed animals and refurbished gently used dolls for children at the Children's Guardian Home in Indianapolis. She refurbished the dolls by cleaning them and sewing them some new clothes.

Sara loved to host parties when she was younger. She also hosted the family get-togethers for every major holiday over the last 35 years. She was an excellent cook and made everyone feel welcome in her home.

Sara was a big Elvis fan and attended his final concert at Market Square Area in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977.

Sara is loved and will be missed by her entire family. She had a special relationship with each of her family members from her children to her great-grandchildren. Not many kids can say they knew their great-grandma, and several of them also knew their great-grandad.

There will be a Celebration of Sara and Gary's Life on Wednesday, September 9 from 4-7pm at Indiana Funeral Care located at 8151 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46250. Sara will be buried next to Gary in the Brick Memorial Park Cemetery in Union City, Indiana at a later date.