While dealing with a number of health-related “inconveniences” in her life, Sally’s journey came to an end on the 18th of December 2021, a month after celebrating her 49th anniversary with her husband Bill. Always proud of her two children, Robert (Carrie) and Katie (Josh), her love for her baby grandson Easton was never hidden. Also mourning her passing are her mother Iris Blackwell and brother Ross (Vanessa and daughter Ginger), brothers-in-law Greg (Nancy) and John along with her nieces Kristy (Anomi and their daughter Zoey) and Olivia plus nephews Tyler, Owen, and Darius as well as her godmother Margery Roads who resides in England.
After receiving her double transplant 17 years ago, she wholeheartedly embraced her second chance at life. She truly felt that she owed it to the donor’s family to honour this most precious gift by accomplishing things in life that would not have been otherwise possible. She completed the Sun Run Walk soon after her surgery, paddled on the Gift of Life dragon boat for many years, volunteered at events that encouraged organ donor registrations, went back to school at 50 years of age, and worked at BCIT for 15 years. Besides her main responsibilities as an executive assistant in the Learning and Teaching Centre (LTC), her work at BCIT afforded Sally the occasional opportunity to not only arrange events for groups large and small but to create them as well which she truly enjoyed doing. Rarely did a year go by without the LTC staff enjoying a Halloween and/or Christmas event. This along with impromptu BBQs and an end of year summer event brought her great joy.
While a talented sewer (she even gave classes on it) Sally also enjoyed creating crafts. In the past she was very involved with Christmas craft fairs for a number of years. Due to time restraints she had to restrict any craft making to friends and family. The only exception was last year when she, while battling her health issues, made a total of 76 gnomes of varying sizes between Sept and November. This was made even more of a challenge with COVID as her regular source of supplies was not available due to the US border being closed. With her persistence, determination, and creativity, she made it work as she always seemed to do.
Sally's family will hold a celebration of life at some point in 2022 when it is appropriate to gather. If you would like to honour Sally's life with a gift, in lieu of flowers, please consider becoming a registered organ donor and/or make a donation to
Diabetes Canada, the latter being the cause of all of her health issues.