Sally Jo Spindler

Sally Jo Holston Spindler was born to Sallie Marie Owens Holston and Charles Allen Holston on November 11, 1936. They lived in Long Beach, where Lucky Luciano and Al Capone had their summer residences, just outside Michigan City, Indiana. Sally rode horses, did art, and had a “coming out party” at 16. Because her father was a third degree Mason, Sally became a Rainbow Girl, the female chapter of the Masons. She attended Long Beach Middle School. She went to Elston High School from 1951 to 1954. She participated on many school activities, including the Pan-American League, the Black Friars, Thespians, Red Derbies, monitor, Messenger and Concessions. She met Esther Richter on Sally and Esther’s first day of Algebra, and the two became fast friends. Sally would stay at Esther’s house, because Rabbi Richter and his wife lived across from the high school. Soon these two were part of the “Nifty Nine”, a group of girls, most of whom Sally has remained friends with for sixty four years. They are: Audrey Hardt Waterhouse, Margaret Larson, Marva Jane Hass, Jacky Snider Estes, Gerry Hill, Rosie Lindy Krueger, and Nancy Fisher. Sally went to Indiana University. She was a “GDI”, God Damned Independent. One day while walking across campus, she meet and chatted with a group of guys. That night she got a call from one of the guys she had met. He asked her to his Theta Chi dance. She didn’t know which of the five guys he was, so they agreed to go on a “Coke Date”. The guy’s name was Jerry Spindler. They got pinned shortly after they started dating. Sally and Jerry graduated from IU and almost immediately after graduation got married. Carole Spindler Jones, Marva Jane Haas and Jacky Snider Estes were among the bridesmaids. After the wedding, the newlyweds honeymooned in Williamsburg Virginia. At this time, all ROTC young men were required to serve two years in the military. They were stationed at Fort Holabird in Baltimore Maryland. Their first child, Bonnie Kay was conceived and born in Baltimore. After Jerry had served his two years as a Commissary Officer, they moved back to Michigan City, where they lived on Dreamwold Way, in Michiana Shores. Jerry worked for the Owens Motor Supply, and Sally Jo taught English to high schoolers at Elston. Soon their second daughter, Amy Marie was born. Jerry got a job with IBM, so the family moved to South Bend, Indiana. Sally began substitute teachings. She and Nan Shane started working with the Service Guild Council, which served handicapped children. She was also active in Dismas House, an organization that aided in the rehabilitation of prisoners. Sally ran for County Council started her masters at IUSB, and attended Clay United Methodist Church. At Clay, she taught Sunday School, headed up the youth groups and helped to bring educational and religious programs to the church. Sally and Jerry moved to Chicago with IBM. They loved the high life in a skyrise on Lake Shore Drive and Division, where they met Jill Moody. After a brief stint in Schaumburg, Illinois, they packed up and moved to Florida to be closer to Sally and Jerry’s parents. They focused on the Indian Rocks Beach area, as this is where Sallie Marie, Bonnie and Dick Ruzika, and later Scott and Chris Burns all had their homes. Sally and Jerry joined Anona United Methodist church, and soon after Amy and Ralph joined them for services. They attended Bible study, sang in the choir, and helped with Young Life. Nan and Bob shane moved to Florida, as did Jacky and Frank Estes. Nan started sewing at Anona church with the “Sew and Sews” and made equally close friends at Anona. After Jerry’s death in 1999, Sally began traveling the world with Bonnie Esther, Nan and Bob, Geri-Kay and David, the Dominick’s’ and others. Sally walked the Great Wall of China, rode a zip line tour in Costa Rica, bought flowers in the Bangkok Floating markets, wandered Angkor Wat, trained across Canada, floated down rivers in Germany and France and took a paddlewheeler down the Mississippi. She thought that she and Jerry would be doing those trips together, but she did not let this disappointment keep her from seeing the world. In July of 2014, Sally and Annabelle moved to California to live closer to Bonnie. She read five books a week, walked miles with Annabelle each day and loved to eat. She saw Elton John in concert, met Sophia Loren at a tribute by her son, Jon Luc Ponte, and attended the recording of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell me” from NPR. Sally died peacefully in her sleep and is no doubt singing and laughing with Amy Marie and Jerry.

You start dying slowly If you do not travel,

If you do not read, If you do not listen to the sounds of life,

If you do not appreciate yourself.

Your start dying slowly when you kill your self-esteem,

When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly if you become a slave to your habits,

Walking everyday on the same paths

If you do not change your routine,

If you do not wear different colors

or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly if you avoid to feel passion & it’s turbulent

emotions, those that make your eyes glisten & your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly if you do not change your life when you are not

Satisfied with your job, or with your love, or with your surroundings.

If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain, If you do not go after a dream,

If you do not allow yourself, at least once in your lifetime

To run away from sensible advice.

- Pablo Neruda

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