Sarah Annette French, of Niles
Oct. 14, 1937 — Jan. 1, 2017
Niles Dailiy Star, Published 11:09 am Friday, January 20, 2017
Sarah Annette French, 79, of Niles, died peacefully at 1:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at home following an illness.
She was born Oct. 14, 1937, in Centerville, Tennessee, to William and Elizabeth (Riley) Binkley.
After graduation from high school, she joined the All American Red Heads women’s professional exhibition basketball team. They toured the U.S. and many foreign countries playing against local amateur men’s teams — always using men’s basketball rules. They used the same types of skills and entertaining pranks as the Harlem
- Sarah Annette French
Globetrotters, against whom they occasionally played.
The All American Red Heads were enshrined as a team in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, and in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Known as both “Sarah” and “Annette,” she came to Niles in 1985. She enjoyed yardwork at her home here, and wintering in Florida. She also owned and operated a healthcare apparel store — mostly scrubs — in South Bend, Indiana, for many years.
Surviving family includes her son, William Gregory Imboden of Granger, Indiana; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
- Sarah Annette French
She was preceded in death by her parents, and by her siblings, Theresa Gustafson, LaVerne McCawley, Jim Binkley, Lemoyne Hutchinson and Carolyn Stemm.
Family, friends and caregivers gathered privately at Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles. Graveside services were in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, with the Rev. Cathi Huvaere of Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles officiating.
Contributions in memory of Sarah Annette French may be made to The Salvation Army of Niles Building Fund, 424 N. 15th St., Niles, MI 49120, or to the Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. halbritterfunerals.com