Sarah Adams Orr is a Woman Who Means Business

Sarah Adams Orr spent a lot of time at the chapel growing up. Whether it was carrying flowers, warmly greeting guests or passing out folders at visitations, Adams Orr was a light during hard times for grieving families. “Most people think of funerals as sad, but growing up around them, I never thought of them as sad,” she says. “People like to call them celebrations of life sometimes, because that’s what they are.”

As the third-generation owner of Adams Funeral Home, with locations in Ozark and Nixa, Adams Orr carries on the legacy. Her grandfather established the business in 1962, and her parents took it over while she was in college. Now, she runs the business with her brother, directing funerals and ensuring families have meaningful services. Growing into a leadership position taught her the vital role of communication. “Also trying to have that balance between getting work done and having some fun at the same time,” she says. “It’s really important to show appreciation for people when we work together and just be grateful, because I certainly couldn’t do this alone.”

While she pours her heart into her business and family, Adams Orr is also heavily involved in the community. “Sarah has given herself and time freely to support all of 417-land,” Ashley Fick says in her nomination. She is President of the Ozark School Board, a member of the Springfield Ballet Board, a founder and former board member of the Finley River Community Foundation, a member of the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and more. Adams Orr and her team are also members of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Missouri Funeral Directors Association, allowing them to attend conferences and discuss new products, such as tribute software, biodegradable caskets and supplies for their crematory.

No stranger to the complexities of grief, Adams Orr often looks to her mother for advice when it comes to business and everyday life.

After losing her first husband, Adams Orr gained a new perspective on life. “Look on the positive side of things. It’ll be okay no matter what happens,” she recalls her mother telling her. “Always find the silver lining and just be in the moment and try to enjoy life.”