Sally Thorngren Mitchell

She was a graduate of Alamo Heights High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied music. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Sally spent her early years in Indianapolis, Indiana before moving to San Antonio in 1948.

Sally’s special passion was music, which began at an early age studying piano. She continued this interest spending many years in the church choir at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church and performing in many musical productions with the church’s theatre group, the St. Andrew’s Players.

The story of Sally’s life is inseparable from that of Vaughan, her high school sweetheart and husband of 57 years. They lived in a series of homes in the Alamo Heights area where Vaughan was raised, each of which they designed or remodeled together.

In 1995 a shared love of the ocean led them to Aransas Pass, Texas, where they spent the next seven years living on their boat, Kate, and cruising the Gulf coast.

Following Vaughan’s death in 2013, Sally’s social nature led her to find a new home at Franklin Park Alamo Heights. There she found a sense of happiness and companionship that she had not expected to have again, developing wonderful friendships, sharing life stories, and playing bridge. Sally will be remembered by all who knew her for her love of music, sharp sense of humor, and flair for the dramatic.

She is survived by her son, Scott Mitchell and wife, Linda of San Antonio; daughter, Melissa Connell and husband, Richard of Easthampton, Massachusetts; grandson, LT Joshua Connell, USN, Retired; and granddaughter, Dr. Katheryn Connell, VMD.

A celebration of Sally’s life will be held at Franklin Park, 230 W. Sunset Rd., at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to KPAC (Texas Public Radio) or the San Antonio Philharmonic.