Sally Lemoin-Rathbun
April 12, 1928-April 16, 2012
Portola Valley, California

Sally J. Lemoin (Rathbun) was born in Rock Island, Illinois, on April 12, 1928. She graduated from Rock Island High School in 1945 and enrolled in Augustana College.

Two years later her family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Sally transferred to Western Michigan University. She double majored in literature and art. It was there Sally met her husband to be, Donald, who had served as an Air Force pilot during World War II.

Sally and Don both graduated in 1949 and were married in June of that year. Don owned and operated a small airport and flight school in Plainwell, MI, for several years, crop dusting the local farms.

Their only child, Lisa, was born in 1952 when the family lived in Alamo, MI. After several years, Don began a career with Simpson Paper Company and in 1969 the company transferred Don to San Francisco as Marketing Director.

The family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area on the Peninsula. They first lived in Ladera, then Atherton, finally building their dream house on Fox Hollow Road in Woodside.

The land reminded them of the 80-acre farm where they lived during the early years of their marriage.

Sally spent several years as Assistant Admission Officer at Stanford University. She put her college major to use as a docent at Stanford Art Museum and the DeYoung Museum.

She also was among the first volunteers at Filoli Gardens and continued to be involved with the Woodside-Atherton Garden Club. Sally also was a key organizer in the preservation of Scout Hall in Woodside.

Sadly, Don developed early onset Alzheimers at the age of 55 and passed away in 1993. Four years later Sally met widower Alvin Rathbun, from Portola Valley, CA. They were married in 1994 and lived on Golden Oak in Portola Valley, where Al had lived for over 50 years, and then moved to Los Altos. Al died in 2011.

Sally moved back to Portola Valley in January as a resident of The Sequoias and reconnected with many old friends from the tennis club, skiing and garden club.

Sally died peacefully on April 16, 2012, following an unexpected stroke. She was at the Sequoias surrounded by family and friends. She is survived by her daughter, who lives in the South Bay Area, her sister in Omaha, Nebraska, sister-in-law and brother-in-law in Plainwell, MI, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will take place May 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Woodside Village Church in the Chapel.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer?s Association of Northern California. (http://www.alz.org/norcal/in_my_community_donate.asp)