Sarah N. Paluso

June 24, 1977 - January 15, 2022

Sarah N. Paluso, “Save the World” Sarah. That’s the handle Sarah Paluso earned at a very young age. One moment she could be saving a baby bird that had fallen from a nest. She would feed it mushed dog kibble and nurse it to a fledgling in a makeshift incubator. Or re-home a baby bunny who’d been orphaned by predators. Then there was the time she repaired the cracked shell of a box turtle who unwisely crossed a busy thoroughfare. She eventually released it into nearby woods after bringing it back to health with super glue and staples. After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in anthropology Sarah worked briefly but effectively in raptor rehabilitation. Ultimately, she settled in as a purchaser for over 20 years at Franciscan Health. There, her decisions on where to find and how quickly to acquire specialized equipment and urgently needed supplies sometimes meant the difference between life and death for patients, and the effectiveness of a hospital medical staff. She frequently earned high praise from doctors and administrators alike for her dedication. Clocking out of her job didn’t change the altruism in Sarah. There were countless times she could be seen in her neighborhood tracking down a neighbor’s escaped dog in the middle of a moonless night, picking up groceries for others unable to get to the store, or unloading hundreds of Girl Scout cookie boxes off pallets as a wind-slashed driving rainstorm soaked her to the bone. As a best friend of Sarah’s said, “If anyone needed help, Sarah was the first to volunteer.” Sarah was equally known as a devoted wife, a dutiful daughter and a nurturing, loving mother. Each aspect of her life was in service to others before thinking of herself. She frequently volunteered at her children’s schools – as front office help, teaching remedial ASL in an afterschool club, and organizing student drop-off and pick-up at the quarterly school Movie Night. Having a home and a yard in which to meticulously work, cooking for a multitude of family and friends, or teaching her children how to distinguish one wild bird from another – by sight, or by ear – these were the things that made everyone love her. These were the things that also made Sarah happy. Visitation will be Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 12 noon until the time of service at 2:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Fishers-Castleton Chapel, 9900 Allisonville Road, Fishers. Sarah is survived by her loving husband of 14 years, Philip Paluso; children, Roman Paluso and Celeste Paluso; stepchildren, Nicholas Paluso and Natalie (Neil) Thomas; and mother, Rosemarie Hansell. Sarah’s father, Ronald Hansell, preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Humane Society of Hamilton County, 10501 Hague Road, Fishers, IN 46038. To view a tribute of Sarah's life please click on the following link: https://vimeo.com/671379394