By Bruce Barton

Sara Beth LaBoskey’s beauty went far beyond her good looks, just as her achievements went far beyond good grades and athletic skills. A promising scholar-athlete, she exhibited grace whether scoring goals in her favorite sport, soccer, writing her autobiography or continually putting others ahead of herself.

LaBoskey, a longtime resident of Los Altos, died July 28 after a long battle with a rare form of bone cancer. She was 21.

“She was basically a perfect person, a delightful young woman,” said her mother, Vicki, barely keeping her grief in check. Family and friends described a fun-loving, active person who made friends easily and proved a natural leader. Sara also was extremely kind and caring, taking care of an ailing grandmother and showing a true love of animals.

“We couldn’t even kill a spider around the house,” Vicki said. At the same time, Sara, a pre-med student majoring in environmental studies at Duke University when stricken with her disease, sought to make a difference in the world. She was interested in becoming a doctor or a lawyer in environmental law so that she could right injustices that she saw. “She embodies all the traits all the rest of us wish we could have,” said her best friend, Kendra Barkoff of Los Altos Hills. “She had such a great spirit about her.”

Sara was born in San Jose on Nov. 2, 1980. She graduated from Castilleja School in Palo Alto in 1998. During her high school tenure, she received many awards for academics and athletics. Her honors included senior scholar-athlete of the year, co-editor of the yearbook, most outstanding Spanish student and San Jose Mercury News Athlete of the Week. Sara also was a member of a hip-hop dance performance team, Future Shock.

Sara went on to attend Duke University where she was a pre-med and environmental studies major. She completed her junior year before having to halt her studies because of illness. At Duke, she was on the dean’s academic list three times, did an environmental studies semester abroad in Costa Rica and was the first-place winner of the Bethune Writing Award in 2000 in African and African-American studies, a piece that was subsequently published in the Dance Research Journal.

At the center of it all for Sara was soccer. In addition to Castilleja soccer, in high school she was a member of several California Youth Soccer Association club teams, including the MVLA Force, which advanced to the Western Regional Championships.

At Duke, she played Varsity Division I soccer during her freshman year and then chose to move to the Duke women’s club team in subsequent years. During her cancer treatment, Sara coached the JV soccer team at Castilleja.

“Sara was a caring, positive human being who was well loved by all who knew her,” her family wrote. “The wide circle of friends who supported her throughout the ordeal of her illness is testimony to that beautiful spirit. She will be greatly missed.”

“She was a great role model,” said her younger brother Jeff. “She was always helping me.”

In an autobiography, Sara recalled the Little Golden Book, “I Can Fly,” and its phrase, “I’m anything that’s anything - that’s my way.” “Recounting the events and stages of my early adolescent years and noticing the progression of my thoughts and goals, I see that I have the will and ability to pursue any goals that I desire,” Sara wrote.

Sara remained positive throughout her 15-month battle with cancer. “She took it with such stride,” said Barkoff, who met Sara during the summer before they started seventh grade. “There was never a question in her mind that she would beat it. There was no question in our minds that she would beat it.” A memorial service for Sara was held Saturday at the Los Altos United Methodist Church.

Sara is survived by her mother and father, Vicki and Peter LaBoskey of Los Altos, and brother Jeff.

In Sara’s honor, a memorial scholarship fund will be established at Castilleja School to provide funding for students who are scholar-athletes and in need of financial assistance. Contributions may be made to Sara LaBoskey’s Scholarship, Castilleja School, 1310 Bryant St., Palo Alto 94301.