Sarah Tull

06/19/1953 - 03/14/2026

Sarah Ann Gilligan was born to Lorrie and Gene Gilligan on June 19, 1953 in San Francisco, California. She spent much of her youth in the Greenmeadow neighborhood of Palo Alto, forming lifelong bonds with a group of neighborhood friends. In 1964, her family moved to New Jersey, where she was able to visit the New York World's Fair.

The family returned back to Palo Alto in 1968, where in 1971 she graduated from Cubberley High School. She attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon where she met David Tull, her soon-to-be husband. The couple returned to the Bay Area, married and started a family.

They had their first child, son Stephen, in 1978. Three years later her second son, Jonathan, joined the family, and four years after that, a third son, Patrick, was born. Wanting her kids to grow up in the same area that she had, Sarah and family settled in a neighborhood near Greenmeadow.

Through a shared love for folk dancing, Sarah met Todd Wagner and remarried. The family settled in nearby Los Altos Hills.

After working as a Certified Public Accountant for several years, she formed her own accountancy corporation based in Palo Alto. Sarah worked ardently as a CPA for many local firms and individuals, providing insightful tax accounting expertise for her clients.

Sarah was an avid dancer involved in the local folk-dance community. For over 30 years she taught Hungarian and Transylvanian folk dances with Todd in and around the Palo Alto area. She frequently danced with local groups in the area, and traveled to dance camps throughout the United States and Europe.

She was a Master Gardener, creatively improving local community gardens. She regularly volunteered at Hidden Villa, in Los Altos Hills, leading school children on tours of the farm. Sarah had a passion for being in nature. She travelled the world extensively, sometimes adventurously on her own. She attended the Burning Man festival with her son Jon.

Sarah was a stellar Grandmother to her Grandson Ian.

Those who knew her describe her as carefree, spirited, wise, analytical, strong willed and intuitive. She could always be counted on to help guide her family by these values. She truly had a good soul.
She was beautiful and she lived a beautiful life. Sarah will be deeply missed.

Sarah is survived by her husband Todd Wagner, sons, Stephen, Jonathan and Patrick Tull, grandson Ian, and brother Bob Gilligan.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date.