Sally Kay Blair

December 7, 1942 - October 18, 2020

Sally Kay Blair passed away on October 18, 2020 surrounded by family after a 10-year journey with cancer. She was born on December 7, 1942 in Salem, Oregon to Herman and Cynthia Jochimsen. Sally graduated from South Salem High School in 1961 and the University of Oregon in 1965 with a degree in elementary education. While attending UO, she worked summers in the Oregon State Capitol’s tourist lounge, sharing her love for her beautiful home state. After graduation, Sally and two Alpha Phi sorority sisters bought a new VW in Germany and toured Europe sampling all the culture, scenery, pasta and pastries the continent had to offer. She began her teaching career in Eugene, OR, taught in Vancouver, WA, and spent the last 25 years with the Corvallis School District teaching at Lincoln, Harding and Hoover elementary schools. She was an exceptionally creative educator who loved all critters – big and small. She used a menagerie of classroom animals (snakes, birds, rats, chinchillas and many more) to teach ownership and personal responsibility to her students. She was one of the first to utilize rockets in her science curriculum to illustrate the principles of flight and space exploration. Sally was a devout sports fan and a strong supporter of the Oregon Ducks as well as Oregon State Beavers. In retirement, she traveled the country to watch her beloved Ducks in the 2015 Football National Championship, 2017 Men’s Final Four, and most recently the 2020 Rose Bowl. Sally is survived by her husband of 54 years, Bo; twin daughters Kimberly (Kinzie) Zenkere of Springfield, OR and Kirsten Blair of Seattle, WA; sister Suzanne (Steve) Kline of Malvern, PA; niece Christine (Marc) Sedam of Rye, NH; nephew Bo (Kendel) Kline of Downingtown, PA; and nephew Andy (Widya) Kline of Bend, OR. In lieu of a memorial, Sally can be remembered by saying a kind word, petting a puppy, wearing bright colors and cheering for the Ducks. Donations in Sally's memory may be made to Heartland Humane Society or Shriners Hospitals for Children.