Sarah spent the first fourteen years of her life in Cinnaminson NJ, in a close-knit neighborhood jam-packed with children, treehouses, block parties, and evening games of “jailbreak”.
Sarah attended Westfield Friends School through 8th grade, not only learning the standard subjects, but also the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship. She spent her summers at Camp Dark Waters, a small Quaker camp in Medford NJ, and began her lifelong love of nature and the outdoors. In later years, she became a counselor at the camp, much loved by her campers and staff. She, in turn, had a deep and enduring love for the camp and its people.
Sarah’s love of nature was further nurtured by annual family trips to the Northern Adirondacks; hiking, kayaking, climbing, and swimming in pristine Osgood Pond. Most recently, Sarah has enjoyed visiting White Pine Camp in the middle of winter; cross-country skiing by day, and enjoying a campfire and good conversation in the evening.
Sarah’s family moved to Haddonfield in 2005, where she attended Haddonfield Memorial High School, graduating in 2009. While in high school Sarah became serious about her art. She also fell in love with tennis, and played doubles on the fabled HMHS girls tennis team.
When it came time to choose colleges, Sarah decided she wanted a small, liberal arts college, with a beautiful campus and the possibility of majoring in art. Lafayette College checked all those boxes, and so she spent the next four years in Easton PA, graduating with honors in 2013.
After graduation, Sarah dabbled in all sorts of jobs. Her love of preparing (and eating) food led her to several restaurant positions. When a “Painting with a Twist” store opened in Haddonfield, she applied and became an assistant manager. At one point, She moved down to Atlanta, and took an administrative position at Emory University Medical School. Sarah proved to be a hard worker and a valuable team player. The position also paid considerably more than any of her previous positions. But Sarah was never particularly interested in money, and learned that working in a cubicle was not for her. As a result, she moved back to Philadelphia, to be nearer to family and friends. Sarah showed her entrepreneurial streak frequently over the years, developing numerous methods of marketing and selling her artwork, from online websites to pop-up booths outside of coffee shops.
While Sarah was genuinely happy for the majority of her life, five years ago she was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This disease sapped her mental and physical energy for two weeks out of every month. Sarah began her battle with this disorder by following all the standard protocols. They all helped a little, but she was still not 100%. Recently, Sarah had been experimenting with less conventional remedies: meditation, yoga, and the ayurveda diet and philosophies. Happily, these new treatments, in combination with the old, really made a difference in her quality of life. Her last few months were among the happiest of her life.
Early last year, Sarah discovered “forest therapy”. Originally developed in Japan, forest therapy is a healing practice. It relies on trained guides, who set a deliberately slow pace through the forest, and invite people to experience nature through all of their senses. It encourages people to be present in the body, enjoying the sensation of being alive and deriving benefits from the relationship between ourselves and the rest of the natural world. Sarah loved this concept, and signed up for a nine-month certification course, which she was on track to finish in January. In the past month, she had been running practice forest therapy walks for family and friends. It was clear to everyone who attended those walks that Sarah had found her dream career; helping others to appreciate nature, much as she has done for most of her life.
Unfortunately, we will never get to see the culmination of her journey.
Sarah Quickel was compassionate, genuine, intelligent, grateful, graceful, and always a champion for the underdog. She lived simply, and gave to others with disregard to her own circumstances. Kindness to all creatures, great and small, was her mantra.
Despite the fact that her life has been tragically cut short, she leaves a legacy of touching the lives of many people.
Sarah will be sorely missed.
She is survived by her parents, Stephen J. and Cheryl Quickel; her brother, Stephen V. Quickel (fiance’ Ruut Schapiro); grandmothers, Irene Bassow and Ethel Moldovan; Aunts and Uncles, Jenny Waring (Jeff), Debra Moldovan (Arlene Kohler), Victor Moldovan (Del King), Stephanie Moldovan; and cousins, Kori Waring, Sage Walker (Eli), Laura Moldovan (Mitchell Boggess), Hilary Moldovan (Philip Rivera). She was predeceased by her grandfathers, Victor L. Moldovan and Stephen W. Quickel and her uncle William Moldovan.
Services will be held on Friday, December 16th at Epworth United Methodist Church, 501 Morgan Ave, Palmyra, NJ Friends will be received at 9:30am with the service starting at 11:00 am. The memorial service will be live-streamed at 11:00am via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/user/EpworthUMCPalmyra
Wearing of masks is encouraged.
We would be grateful for anyone willing to share memories or photos of Sarah on the funeral home “tribute wall”.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to one of the following organizations:
Camp Dark Waters - https://campdarkwaters.com/
IAPMD (International Association for Premenstrual Disorders) - https://iapmd.org/
Epworth United Methodist Church - https://palmyranjumc.org/