Sarabeth Guptill

“I’m always thinking,” Sarabeth said, her stunning dimples showing as she smiled, “about how to bring joy, how to make something fun.”

Sarabeth (affectionally known as SBG) was a joy expert. Bringing joy requires knowing people, understanding what makes them feel good, what lifts them up, and makes them happy. To bring joy is to really love life.

Sarabeth brought joy through music. From the beginning of her childhood with one-note harmonies, music was a constant source of her joy. As a young person, Sarabeth acted in musical theater productions. She played saxophone and guitar. And throughout her life, Sarabeth sang. She sang at home, in the car, with kids, as a Sweet Adeline, in church choirs. Music was a throughline, her comfort and pleasure and a way to make people happy. For Sarabeth, singing and making music was the core of joy and living.

Sarabeth practiced her entire early life, for what became her most favorite role and title, as mother “Mama G” to Miles and Maya. She once said there was no greater pleasure for her than to be able to be home to raise her own children. SB brought all her power of fun, music, and love into her parenting. She loved her babies unconditionally!

Sarabeth brought fun through her amazing sense of style. She wore rings, bracelets, necklaces, and colorful Converse sneakers. Everyday, a new joke on her board that welcomed students and staff to McAuliffe Charter School, a smile on her face.

Sarabeth generated joy through her enthusiasm and sass. She brought cowbells, hand clappers, air horns, and her own considerable decibels to any event where she rooted for her own kids and kids from her school. Sarabeth was very helpful to many. She was close with her children’s friends. She opened up her home, and her heart, to so many of her kids’ friends. Sarabeth tried to ensure that every person she encountered felt loved, safe and welcomed.

She loved a good joke, sound effects, and adored a music or theater performance. Sarabeth was a champion of the arts, even starting a theater program at Potter Road Elementary School in Framingham together with her beloved Drama Mamas.

And perhaps most of all, Sarabeth brought joy through her love of people. Sarabeth kept friendships that began in her earliest years, and made friends in the last weeks of her life. She stayed close to children she nannied, and their families, often traveling to their important events even when they were adults. Sarabeth formed deep and long-lasting connections through her generous kindness, laughter and willingness to help.

Part of Sarabeth’s commitment to bringing joy was her hope to make things better. She wanted everyone to feel included. As an adult, Sarabeth helped students feel safe when they were scared and met them where they needed help. Sarabeth gave the warmest hugs.

Sarabeth loved to travel to see friends and places. She lived in Washington D.C. where she delighted in the culture of the city. While she lived in and visited many other places, Sarabeth’s heart was always where she was born, at the Maine shore.

Sarabeth was a caring wife, an adoring parent, a loving sister, one hell of a duet partner, devoted daughter, extraordinary friend and game-playing song-singing fun-making aunt.

Sarabeth was predeceased by her father, Robert Guptill Sr.

Sarabeth is survived by her husband Peter, her children Miles and Maya, her mother Rosemary, her brother Robert, her sisters Laura and Jenn, her nieces Adria and Antoinette, nephews Orean, Derrick, Chandler, Landon, and Jonah. As well as countless family, friends, and colleagues each of whom were touched by Sarabeth’s immense capacity to love and be loved.

In lieu of flowers, Sarabeth’s family requests donations to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, whose mission is to fund research studies to better understand this rare and devastating form of cancer. Donations can be made in her name at https://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/donate/. We will gather to remember, celebrate, and mourn on Sat., July 11, 1 pm at First Congregational Church of Natick, 2 E. Central St., Natick, MA. The service will also be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/0y2DfgEgq3k?feature=share

For guestbook, please visit www.everettfuneral.com

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Sarabeth Guptill, please visit our Tree Store.