Sallie Jean Youngman

Sallie was born on August 3, 1932 in Bryan hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska to Rex and Doris (Smith) Butler. She had an older brother, Duane, who predeceased her in 2022. She attended Huntington grade school and then the newly built Northeast high school. She enjoyed choir, art, and the newspaper staff.

After high school, Sallie attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1954 thinking she would teach high school English, reading, or Home Economics. During her last year of college, she met her future husband, Vern Youngman, who was a student at the University of Nebraska Ag College. Sallie was working as a secretary at the Ag College when they met. They were married on August 8, 1954.

After graduation, Sallie continued working for the Ag college, but her love of children steered her to taking more night and summer classes to become an elementary teacher. Her first teaching job in 1955 was as a kindergarten teacher in east Lincoln and then as a 1st grade teacher at Riley school.

They moved to Pullman, Washington for one year while Vern worked on his Ph.D. at Washington State University and then moved to Moscow, Idaho, only a 9 mile drive from Pullman. Vern finished his PhD in 1962 and then taught at Washington State. Sallie continued to teach elementary school during their years out west. First at Lena Whitmore and then at the old, very old Russell school (as Sallie described it) which was on top of a steep hill. The playground area was 30 steps below the building, a real challenge at recess time.

In January of 1967, Vern and Sallie moved to Fort Collins when Vern was offered a position at CSU. Sallie taught at various elementary schools in the city: Putnam school for three years, Harris school for one year before finally ending her career teaching Kindergarten at O’Dea school for 20 years. They had a new home built where Sallie continued to live after Vern’s death in 2005. Sallie moved to MacKenzie Place in 2023.

Sallie has always loved animals. She has had a progression of dogs – Coco, Capone, Taffy, Twiggie, Rusty, and Toby. She loved traveling both in the US and Europe, both with friends, and sometimes with Vern. In later years she put her love of art to work making greeting cards.

Family members include her nephew Gareld (Becky) Butler of Parkville, Mo and niece Janet Aliano of Raymore, Mo; their children Kyle (Katie Trinter) Butler and Mark Butler and Nick (Audrey) Snow and Tim Snow; 5 great nieces and nephews and special friends Cynthia Galpin and Steven Kimes.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Vern.

Celebration of Life service will be held at 10 AM July 20th at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Collins, Co, 1005 Stover Street.

Memorials will be given in lieu of flowers to Animal Friends Alliance or the First United Methodist Church in Fort Collins.