Sarah Sally Ann Cox Willette

To Sarah Ann Willette, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life (although all those who knew her would also agree that she enjoyed her private time reading a book or gardening). To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Sarah, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Sarah really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Sarah Ann was born on January 15, 1947 at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Thomas E. Cox and Catherine M. (Hanley) Cox. Sarah Ann was raised in Chicago, Illinois. Even as a child, Sarah had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn't help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Sarah was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Sarah managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Sarah was raised with three siblings. She had a brother, Daniel and two sisters, Colleen and Kathleen. Somewhere along the line, Sarah Ann became known to most of her family and friends as "Sally".

      All of Sally's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Sally experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She played volleyball and basketball and was a member of the Brownies and Girl Scouts.

      Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Sally was a class "cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Sally simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. Sally attended Mt. Saint Clare High School for one year, then transferred and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Chicago in 1965. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English.

      Sarah reveled in her college years, where her imagination could run free. She was viewed by many of her classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Sally was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun with others. But for Sally, life was not a case of all play and no work. Sarah relished the task of putting her imagination to work in class. She was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University. She later pursued graduate school, earning her Master's degree in Education.

      Sarah never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed her to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Sally delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Sally was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Sarah utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Donna Dunn, Carol Coaker, and Dee Dee Meyer. Sally loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Sally very easy to approach. On July 25, 1970 Sarah Ann exchanged wedding vows with Ralph Edward Willette at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church of Oak Park, Illinois. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason Sally related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Sally and Ralph were blessed with two sons, Tim and Brian. Sally had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Sally had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Sally was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Sally liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Sally was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Sally's talent for being a down-to-earth thinker allowed many around her to see Sally as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was as an elementary and middle school teacher. She was employed by the Valley View School District and retired after 29 years of service.

      Sally felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, she loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Sally relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Sally never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Sally played volleyball and basketball. Recreational sports included softball.

      Sally had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Sally's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. One accomplishment that Sally was happy with is that she started the Brooks Middle School Literary Book Club for students.

      A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, Sarah often found herself involved in activities she deemed important. She was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Politically, Sally was a supporter of the Democratic Party, and most recently was active in the Barack Obama election.

      Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Sally recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish since moving to Lisle in 1985. Prior to that Sally was a member of St. Dominic's Parish in Bolingbrook from 1975-1985.

      Naturally outgoing and generous, Sally was regularly doing things for others. For her, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Although she never set out to gain individual recognition, Sally was given accolades for her many and varied accomplishments throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included earning her Master's degree in Education, a mention in Who's Who in Education, and the Valley View Education Enrichment Foundation Award in 2009.

      Living life in the fast lane suited Sarah Ann just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Hawaii in 2000. She also loved San Francisco's mix of hills and culture. In 2008 a trip to Washington D. C. was enriching. Always, though, Sally's favorite vacation shots were those that had a beach and water for her to read books while absorbing nature's sun. This is why places like Hilton Head, Venice Beach, Panama City and Ft. Myers were always so fond to her.

      Sarah was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Sarah's favorites was Sally loved her dogs, beginning with Seamus and Chequers, two Shih Tzus. Jake was Sally's first golden retriever, and she loved him with a passion. Also very important was Bear, the black lab husky who gave Sally a sense of security when Ralph often traveled. Her family was rounded out by her most recent baby, Murphy, another golden retriever, who proved to be a sensitive part of the family. Jake and Bear have since died and are resting in Hinsdale Pet Cemetery.

      Sally believed that one had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2007, Sally took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Sally remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found continued pleasure in reading and cultivating her robust flower garden and planters. Even in retirement, Sally continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

      Sarah Ann Willette passed away on November 2, 2009 at her home in Lisle. Sally was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of January 2009. After successful radiation and chemotherapy, Sally had a portion of her lung removed by surgery and was recovering when an infection in her lungs began. She spent months between hospital stays and home care battling this insidious infection, getting weaker as time went on. In the last weeks of her life, she was receiving IV antibiotics and medications with the hope she could regain her strength from eating while fighting the lung infection. While receiving a treatment of antibiotics the infection broke through to her blood vessels and she hemorrhaged in bed. The paramedics were unable to revive her and Sally died on Monday, November 2nd, 2009, on the Catholic Feast of All Souls Day, at her home in Lisle. Sally had been struggling and fighting this infection with great intensity, but she was not able to regain the body strength she needed to recover.

She is survived by her beloved husband and best friend, Ralph; her devoted sons, Timothy and Brian; her loving siblings, Daniel Cox, Colleen (Jack) Long, and Kathleen (late James) Guilfoile; her dear mother-in-law, Cecilia (late William) Willette; her cherished brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Thomas (Marilyn) Willette, Martin (Kathy) Willette, Laura (Roger) Griffith, Christine (Richard) Pollard; and many fond nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Friday, November 6, 2009 from 3-8 p.m. at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Avenue, Lisle, IL (on Rt. 53, 1/2 mile south of Ogden Ave. / Rt. 34) where funeral services will begin Saturday 9:15 am and proceed to St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, at the intersection of Green Trails Dr. and Naper Boulevard, in Naperville, IL for Mass at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow mass at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery. In memory of Sally, memorials may be made to PAWSchicago.org or to the American Cancer Society. For service information, call the funeral home at 630-964-9392,.

      Sally brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Sarah Ann Willette lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.