Sally Carter MacNichol

Sally Carter MacNichol of Essex Ct. died on September 21, 2026 of age - related causes. She was born on August 18, 1930 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Dr. B. Noland Carter and Olga Marie Ault Carter (known as Diddie), and was the older sister to her brothers David and Lee. She always described her childhood, growing up on her parent’s farm outside Cincinnati and spending summers at her maternal grandmother’s house in Maine, as idyllic. When WW2 began, her father was called to Washington to work in the surgeon general’s office as assistant director of the Army’s Surgical consultants. They moved to Alexandria and she was soon sent to boarding school in Middleburg, Virginia.

After graduating from Foxcroft, she attended Vassar College where one fateful night in 1948, she met the love of her life, Roland “Roly” Smith MacNichol of Toledo Ohio, who was visiting from Yale. They married in 1950, began their life together in San Francisco, then moved to Darien, Ct. before settling in Perrysburg, Ohio where they lived for 29 years. In addition to raising their 5 children, Sally was active in the community. She served on the board of Toledo Hospital – the first woman to do so -, the board of Planned Parenthood of Northwestern Ohio which she chaired for several years, and volunteered for Lucas County Children’s services. She was widely known for her open- hearted hospitality, and often a listening ear, to nieces, nephews and friends of her children, many of whom have stayed close to her throughout her life.

In 1988, Sally and Roly moved back to Connecticut, very happy to be close to old friends from earlier Connecticut days. Dividing their time between the Headwaters Ranch in Stanley, Idaho and Old Lyme, they also travelled throughout the world, including numerous fishing trips after Sally took up flyfishing at the age of 60. Most of all, Sally - Mom, Grammie and Gigi - will be remembered for her steadfast love and devotion to family, taking great delight in her 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Her son Douglas and grandson Neil died in 2010 and 2015 respectively, followed by her husband Roly in 2018, and brother David in 2022. She is survived by her brother Lee (Shannon), her children, Sally N. MacNichol of New York City, Roland S. MacNichol Jr. (Terri) of Bozeman Mt., D. Carter MacNichol (Jennifer) of Portland, Or. and Caroline R. MacNichol of Kennebunk, Me. All who were lucky enough to be in her orbit grew from the great force of her love. She will be forever loved and missed.

Services will be held at 1pm on Saturday, October 3rd 2026 at the First Congregational Church at the corner of Ferry Road and Lyme Street in Old Lyme, Ct.

In lieu of flowers, Sally asked that donations be made to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, or The Essex Meadows Scholarship Foundation, Inc.