ADELPHI, Md. – Sarah Jane was born on Sept. 27, 1976 at Augusta General Hospital. She was the daughter of Cheri Kelly James and Mark Katz. Sarah had an incredible curiosity for the world around her- a favorite first phrase she repeated often as a toddler was “What’s that?” That curiosity quickly transformed Sarah into an early and voracious reader. That habit stayed with her for the rest of her life. She was an incredible big sister to her brother, Ben, who arrived 18 months after her birth. The two siblings spent countless hours playing together on their rural farm property in Palermo Maine. On one of their adventures they became lost in the woods and were found late at night by the Maine Warden Service and State Police.

Sarah graduated from Hall-Dale High School in 1994 and went on to attend American University in Washington D.C. After college she moved into her home in Adelphi, Md. There, she became one of the nation’s preeminent kidnap and ransom insurance underwriters at Victor Insurance of Marsh and McLennan. She was devoted to her work- even bringing her work computer along on summer vacations to Maine.

Sarah was taken unexpectedly on March 21, 2026 by heart failure, at the age of 49.

She is survived by her mother, Cheri James and husband John James, father, Mark Katz and wife Sylvia Katz; brother, Benjamin Katz; uncle, Kevin Jones and partner Laura Davis, aunt, Sheri Katz and uncle, Asher Kahn, aunt, Willow Katz; cousins Shannon Jones-Chen, Briar Jones, Kimberly Hladun, Jennifer Tarnatino, Zachary Kahn, Alexandra Kahn; stepbrother, Kurt James, and stepsister, Johnna Hutchins. Additionally, she leaves behind her beloved dog, Sadie.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to

Adventist Hospital White Oak, in Silver Springs, Md.