Sarah Kathryn (Neil) Szymanski, 43, of Atchison, KS, darling daughter, beloved wife, best pet mom ever and one of the sweetest persons you would ever know, left us to early on Monday, Oct. 26th, 2026, after complications from her cancer. She is now in heaven helping Grandma Wanberg make egg salad sandwiches while holding her nose from the smell.
She was born on Friday, Feb. 11, 1983, in Spencer, IA, the daughter of Kirby and Becky (Wanberg) Neil. She had her first ambulance ride to Rochester, MN so they could do surgery to repair her back from Spina Bifida and place a shunt in her head. Despite all her medical issues over the years, she never let it get her down and her spirit is still so strong today, but her body just couldn’t keep up.
Sarah made many friends while attending ACES , the Mount Academy and her Graduating Class at Atchison High School in 2002. She loved working at McDonald’s and was recognized for being the friendliest crew member in the drive through window.
After chatting for a year online with Eric, they finally met and he creeped her out because he couldn’t stop staring at her beautiful blue eyes. Two years later on May 27, 2006, they were married at a special ceremony shared by loving family and friends. They celebrated their 20th Wedding Anniversary on May 27, and theirs was a very special love. Sarah couldn’t have found a better partner and Eric was the best care giver to her all these years, her pooh bear. When they moved back to Atchison, they found an older home, which she called her “Grandma & Grandpa” house. It reminded her of their big home in Iowa. She had some of their furniture pieces which made it very special to them.
Sarah loved, with a capital L, volunteering at the Atchison Humane Society and ringing bells in her Elf Costume even in freezing weather, for the Salvation Army. Cheering, (cursing), the Kansas City Chiefs on, she and her dad would speak after every game with their dissection. He will greatly miss that.
Sarah was preceded in death by her grandparents, France & Helen Wanberg, and Walter & Hilda Neil, and her mother-in-law, Deb Szymanski.
She is survived by the love of her life husband Eric, and beloved dog Joey, her parents Kirby and Becky Neil, who cherished her more than anything, and her father-in-law Paul Szymanski. Her sister-in-law, her many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and family members who became family by heart not blood will miss her greatly as will many people whose lives she made more joyous by just knowing her,
The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home, 800 Kansas Ave, Atchison, KS. Funeral services will be 10:00 am on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.
