Sally John

Beloved wife, mother, sister, grand- mother, friend, and teacher, Sally John died unexpectedly from a heart attack on December 28, 2013. Born in Poughkeepsie in 1934, Sally grew up near New York City, where she met the love of her life, David John, while in church preschool. She received a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree from the University of Rochester, and spent a lifetime exploring and sharing her love of gardening, sailing, needlework, Siamese cats, and especially mathematics.

Sally and her family moved to Mercer Island in 1970, where she taught and mentored generations of students. Her phone number, 232-MATH, was widely known, and her algebra notes, geometry sheets, and SAT tips were eagerly copied and handed down from one class of students to the next. Sally shared her joys and ideas with all who met her, mentoring students and supporting new teachers alike, and helped shape the course of the lives and the careers of countless Islanders. Sally will be missed by so many, including her husband David, sister Barbara, son Andy and daughter-in-law Cindy, daughter Lisa and son-in-law John, and grandchildren Jenny, David, Sarah, and Hannah.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 1, at 2 p.m. at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church.