Sally Schofield

A woman of grace, resilience, and quiet strength, Sally Schofield provides us all with much to aspire to. Life was not always easy for her, but she never let trials steal her joy for living. A more devoted mother would be hard to find as Sally spent many of her days nurturing the children she treasured more than life itself. Known far and wide for her amazing baking skills, it could be argued that perhaps what made her Christmas cookies so spectacular was the endless amount of love she incorporated into each batch. Our days will never be the same without Sally here, but the lives of countless people will be forever enriched because of her gentle touch.

During the early part of the forties, the eyes of America were focused on the hostilities overseas as countless young servicemen and women were fighting for the preservation of freedom during WWII. Those who remained stateside became accustomed to rationing of common goods such as sugar, coffee, and paper. Despite the burdens around them, a bustling family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, couldn’t contain their joy as they announced the arrival of their new baby girl on February 21, 1943. Sally Rae was the third of four children born to her parents, Plynn and Beryl (Jenkins) Ide, and was raised alongside her siblings, Kay, Vicki, and Jeri.

Sally's journey was not without struggles during her formative years. She spent a lot of time, especially during the summers, with her maternal grandmother in Mendon. Sally greatly enjoyed being with her grandmother at her ceramics shop. She attended local schools including Kelloggsville High School where she graduated with the class of 1961..

Not long after graduating from high school, Sally secured her first job as a secretary with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Grand Rapids. She had a strong work ethic and was so proud to be independent, earning her own money before she was even 20 years old. Sally saved as much of her earnings as she could and paid cash for her own brand new Mercury convertible. In 1971 she left Metropolitan Insurance, and she entered the workforce again in 1980 when she took a job in housekeeping at Herman Miller of Grandville and Holland for many years. Sally was devoted in her work and was always dependable and focused on doing her best. It was only when her health required her to focus her attention of engaging in the fight for her life in 2006 that she ever missed a day of work. Finally in 2009 Sally officially retired.

Life was forever changed for Sally when she met and later married a man named John Archer in 1970. The couple settled into married life and even lived on Mackinac Island year round for a couple of years. Together they were blessed with two children, Laura and Ann. Although their marriage ended in divorce in 1991, Sally and John remained on friendly terms and were eternally grateful for the girls they shared.

As her friends and family can attest, everything that came out of Sally’s kitchen was second to none. She was famous for her Christmas cookies that came to be as an alternative to giving gifts during years that money was tight. The cookies were always well received and became a tradition that everyone looked forward to. Even the baking of the cookies was a tradition as the process turned into a rather extensive assembly line. Sally’s skills in the kitchen weren’t just limited to baking either as she was a gifted cook as well. Several of Sally’s friends could name a favorite “Sally meal” or two.

New and exciting changes were on the horizon for Sally when she met a man named Tom Schofield at a social event in 1991. He asked her out for coffee and she was more than happy to accept, but since neither Sally nor Tom drank coffee their first date was actually for tea. True love blossomed over the next several months and they married in 1993.

There were many things that enriched Sally’s life through the years. Pets were like another member of the family in her home, and she always had a pet of some kind. As a young girl she had a Cocker Spaniel named Taffy and later a German Shepherd named Panser. Sally’s most recent companion was a cat named Goofy that lived for 20 years. It was very hard for her to say goodbye to her constant companion just a couple of months ago. During her younger years Sally volunteered at the Adult Literary Council, helping others learn to read. She was also known for her green thumb, and she had the most beautiful display to show for her efforts. Attracting hummingbirds to her yard was another favorite activity. Together Sally and Tom did some traveling including an unforgettable trip to Europe, Ireland, and Scotland in celebration of their tenth wedding anniversary. Their daughter, Ann, was living in England at the time, and Sally would say that this was the trip of a lifetime for her. Sally could rarely be found without a Pepsi in her hand as it was by far her favorite drink. She also had quite a collection of Pepsi memorabilia, too, including a Pepsi machine.

Sally and her loved ones were given a tough pill to swallow when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. She courageously underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Thankfully Sally was then declared cancer free for four years. Her cancer recurred in 2010, and she fought the disease with everything she had in her yet again. She devoted herself to treatments again for 8 months until this past June.

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Sally Schofield was a gift in the lives of those around her. She was driven and determined in everything she did whether she was preparing a meal, putting in a day at work, or taking in the beauty of a culture far from home. Sally enjoyed many things in her life, yet there was never anything that was more precious to her than spending time with her friends and loved ones. She leaves behind a vibrant collection of memories that will remain forever near and dear to all our hearts.

Sally Schofield died on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. Sally’s family includes her husband, Tom; her children, Laura Archer, Ann Archer, Andrew (Lindsay) Schofield, Michael (Carmen) Schofield; son-in-law, Paul Loe; grandsons, Kyle and Ryan Loe; sisters, Vicki Eckert and Jeri Dondzilla; and brother-in-law, Bernie Taalman. Sally was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Kay Taalman. Services to celebrate Sally’s life will take place Saturday at 12:00 noon at Life Story Funeral Home Plainwell, 120 S. Woodhams (685-5881). Visit Sally’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory and photo, sign her guestbook online before coming to the funeral home and per Sally’s wishes, in lieu of flowers, make a donation to Wings of Hope Hospice.