Obituary of Sally M Phillips

Sara Ashworth was born on July 11, 1940 in Cleveland, Ohio to parents Robert and Elizabeth Ashworth. Though she was named Sara, she always preferred to be called by the nickname her father gave her, "Sally." Soon after she was born, her family relocated to Massachusetts, where they lived in the towns of Boston and Winthrop.

In 1952, Sally's father took a job at United Airlines in San Francisco, and so at age 12, she, her parents, and her three siblings, John, Bob, and Ann, packed up for the exciting move to the West Coast, flying in various propeller planes as they made their exciting journey across the country. Sally's family settled in Redwood City, California, and that first summer there she and her older brother, John, had a wonderful time riding their bikes together and exploring their new neighborhood.

Sally graduated from Sequoia High School in Redwood City in 1958, and then attended community college in San Mateo. She then got a job at Ampex doing office administrative work. She was a terrific roller skater and was a regular at the local rink and even participated in skating competitions. She met her first husband, Gene Townsley, at the roller rink in Redwood City, and they married in 196I.

Sally and Gene had four children, Christine, Brent, Cherie, and Brian. They raised their children in San Jose, California. Sally was a wonderful and fun Mom to her kids. (Sally and Gene divorced in 1984.)

Sally began working at Lockheed in Sunnyvale, California in 1977 doing administrative work, and had a nice long career there until she retired in 1998.

Sally met Byron at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints singles retreat weekend. Byron and Sally were married in the Oakland Temple on the 6^th of September 1991. Sally and Byron resided in San Jose, CA together for  about 7 years before retiring in 1998. A few months before their retirement Sally and Byron bought a house in Meridian, Idaho and moved all possessions to Idaho. During their last few months in California they lived in a camp trailer.

Pulling the camp trailer to Idaho when they retired.

Sally and Byron served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Oklahoma Tulsa Mission Nov. 2000 -  May 2002. They served in the Family History Library and served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Boise Temple for nearly 10 years.

They resided in Meridian until November 2021 when Sally became too ill for Byron to continue caring for her. She lived in the By His Grace Home until she passed peacefully on December 28, 2023.

Sally is preceded in death by her mom, dad and brother “Bob”.

Sally is survived by her husband, Byron Phillips; brother John Ashworth; sister Ann Ashworth; children Christine (Todd) Gregory, Brent Townsley, Cherie Mertes and Brian Townsley; step-children Cindy (Daryn)Barnes, Don Phillips, Lisa (John) Taylor, and Kim Phillips; 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.