Sally Anna (Ryce) Smith
Obituary
Sally entered peacefully into eternal life on April 29, 2023. There will be a memorial service for her on Monday, June 19, 2023, at 11:00 at the Healdsburg Community Church, 1100 University Ave., Healdsburg, followed by a lunch. Donations in her memory can be made to The Nature Conservancy or Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.
Born Sally Anna Ryce in Clarkston, Washington on June 1, 1933, she was the younger daughter of Max and Grace Ryce. She grew up with her brother "Apples" (as Max, Jr. was known) and her sister Maurine, in a simple homestead in Colestin Valley, on the backside of Mt. Ashland, Oregon. However, she attended school some six miles down the road in Hilt, California and later went to Chico State College, where she received her teaching degree in 1954. There she met another student, William "Bill" V. Smith, when he came to pick up her roommate for a date and found himself standing up. He asked Sally if she would like to go out with him instead. They married some two years later on July 7, 1954.
Sally taught kindergarten for several years until their daughter, Sherrie, was born, followed by their son William "Mark" Smith. In 1970, Sally, Bill, Sherrie and Mark moved to a ranch in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, Bill's Pomo Indian homeland. Their full and happy life together ended with Bill's death in 1992. Sally eventually moved to Santa Rosa, where she enjoyed being part of her new Deer Run community. After suffering a stroke in 2014, she resided in several assisted living homes, first in Santa Rosa and later in Ukiah, passing away just prior to her 90th birthday.
Sally was known for her warm smile, her kindness and her hospitality, along with the delicious food she cooked and the bounty of the gardens she tended. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and good friend to many. Sally was a faithful member of the Healdsburg Community Church and Santa Rosa's Redeemer Presbyterian Church. She is survived by her daughter, Sherrie Smith-Ferri and her husband, David, from Ukiah, CA, her granddaughter, Rachael Smith-Ferri, from Seattle, WA, and her son, William Mark Smith and his wife, Debbie, from Boise, ID. Sally looked forward to eternal life with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But we will miss her greatly.
Published in Healdsburg Tribune · May 23, 2023