Sally Ann Stanback Malloy

August 4, 1932 - January 14, 2022

Sally Ann Stanback Malloy left this world on January 14, 2022, after a long and beautiful life, having touched too many people to mention with her kindness, her independence, and her ever-present compassion for others. Her three daughters, Sarah Kathryn, Marylynn and Beth Ann, were her pride and joy, and will miss her every day of their lives. Born August 4, 1932 to Charles Lamar Stanback and Sarah Parsons Stanback, Sally grew up in Miami, an only child and dearly loved. She was always called Sally Ann or by her nickname, “Sassy,” by her parents, who died in 1980 and 1992, respectively. Her mother, Sarah, was an executive secretary for the Dade County School System and worked for most of Sally’s childhood. Her father, Lamar, was district manager of the Stanback Co. of Salisbury, N.C. a business his brothers Fred and Tom established, until his retirement in 1963. A beloved aunt, Eleanor Stanback, whom Sally called Nina, was a schoolteacher in Miami. She doted on Sally and was a close part of their family. When her parents moved from Miami to Tallahassee in the 1970s to be closer to her, Sally cared for them while raising her three daughters and working full time. As a child, Sally attended Shenandoah Elementary School and graduated in 1950 from Miami High, where she was active in many service groups and clubs. She was even voted the Wheel Club Sweetheart! Her yearbook photos capture her radiant smile, which anyone who knew or spent time with Sally would never forget, along with her warmth and her genuine interest in others. She would always much rather hear about you and how you were doing, than talk about herself. Always an excellent student, Sally attended Duke University in Durham, N.C., graduating with the Class of 1954. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Sally was always very focused on her grades. At Duke, she met her first husband, John Jesse Carey of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a talented linebacker for the Duke football team. Drawn together by their mutual interest in helping the underprivileged and the needy, Sally and John got married in 1954 in Miami. They then moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where John attended Yale Divinity School. After he graduated in 1956, they moved to Salisbury, N.C., where John took a job as chaplain at Catawba College. It was in Salisbury that their first two daughters, Sarah Kathryn and Marylynn were born. The family moved to Tallahassee in 1960, when John became chaplain at Florida State University. Their third daughter, Beth Ann, was born in 1962. John and Sally divorced in 1967, although they stayed good friends, and Sally would remain in the Tallahassee area for the rest of her life. Sally returned to school in the mid-1960s, receiving a master’s degree in sociology in 1967 from Florida State University. She always had a purpose-driven life, working for the state of Florida in the divisions of blind services and vocational rehabilitation. She retired from Apalachee Center for Human Services after twelve years, during which she specialized in chemical dependency, co-dependency and post-traumatic stress, providing counseling to individuals and groups. Rather than retiring from work at age 65, she earned her license as a mental health counselor and went into private practice in the office of Karen Beck, LCSW. Around 2002, she opened her private practice on Delta Boulevard, remaining there until she was 87 years old. Sally helped many people with her wisdom, her listening skills and wise insights. Until early 2020, she regularly met with clients, some of whom she had seen for many years. Often, she saw clients for free, or charged very little for those who paid out of pocket. She always made a point of preparing sandwiches, special snacks or coffee at her sessions for a handful of longtime clients who adored her. Her second marriage in 1976 to John Dexter Malloy, who worked for the state Department of Transportation, lasted 35 years. John Malloy provided help and support for Sally, as she did for him. Early on, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they lived in Chattahoochee, Florida, when John was still at DOT. During that period, before she resumed her counseling career, Sally worked as a teacher’s aide for math and English in the Gadsden County school system, helping struggling students improve their test scores. The Malloys later moved back to Tallahassee and purchased a home there. Because John liked the idea of being closer to Washington County, where he was born and raised, they purchased a small duplex in Mexico Beach, Florida, which he completely rebuilt. They alternated spending time together at both places until John’s death in 2011. Everyone who knew Sally knew what an animal lover she was, even from childhood. Sally would become the owner of several dogs, including collies, a golden retriever and a chihuahua mix, named Muffin. Growing up, her daughters would experience the birth of puppies and kittens, and would have chickens, rabbits, turtles, birds, even a horse. Later in life, Sally became exclusively a “cat lady”, taking in felines who would show up on her doorstep. She was a loving mom to Sunny, Begi, Lady, Susie and Diaglow, and gave them all the best lives they could ever have hoped for. Sally greatly respected and cared for her trusted veterinarian, Dr. Jennifer Moser, who helped her beloved cats throughout their lives. Sally was never “preachy”, but was steadfast in her Christian faith. Every day, she exemplified fairness, kindness toward others, and selfless love. She always retained a gentle and dry sense of humor, which she attributed to her dad, and had a grace and a dignity no one who met her would ever forget. Although she herself had been fortunate to have had a good education, she was never dazzled by outward symbols of success. She was, however, always moved and impressed by honesty, hard work and humility in others, as well as by those for whom kindness, fairness and love were paramount values. Sally smiled and laughed often, was never shy, never a fool and never a pushover. She had a remarkable ability for tact in difficult situations, and could see through to the hearts of others. Sally would always point to the good in people, rather than focusing on the bad. A decades-long member of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, for many years she led the Meals Ministry and also was a regular attendee of the church’s monthly book group, Spiritual Journey (formerly known as “Mission Group”). That group’s meetings and fellowship were a highlight in her schedule. Sally loved the physical and spiritual benefits of yoga and became a certified yoga instructor, teaching yoga classes into her 80s. Until her health began limiting her mobility, Sally took 35-minute walks almost every day, usually with her dear friend, Anne Atkin. Sally could be stubborn, but she was committed to maintaining her independence as long as possible, and she did that, in every way. She was proud and determined to live life on her own terms. Her daughters remember and cherish these additional things about her: her love of a good mystery (especially anything by Louise Penney); her commitment to self-care; her love of a good pair of Birkenstocks and a great-looking outfit; her obsession with nutrition; her commitment to exercise, specifically her daily walks; her dislike of clutter; her inability to sit still for long; her love of NPR, angels and dolphins; French press coffee; cloth napkins; real greenery at Christmas and traditions such as reading scripture at family gatherings and holding hands in prayer at every meal. Surviving Sally are her three daughters, Sarah Kathryn Carey, and her husband, Chad Hunsaker (Gainesville); Marylynn Carey (Tallahassee) and Beth Ann Carey (Tallahassee). Our mother was our rock and our inspiration, our friend, our hero and our tireless advocate. Words can’t express the magnitude of our loss. Sally also is survived by many cousins, including her first cousins, Fred Stanback, Jr. (Alice), Eleanor Kate Stanback Evans (Jim), and Tom Stanback Jr., along with her step-grandchildren, Justin Hunsaker (Kate), Brady Hunsaker (Amanda) and Krystal Hunsaker Burns (Brad), and countless others who were touched by her grace and kindness. Sally had a unique talent for cultivating and maintaining relationships, and was a true and loyal friend to many in her lifetime. Her friend, Anne’s constant presence, availability, and willingness to cheerfully help Sally with practical and personal matters over the decades and especially in her last years was a gift beyond measure and will always be remembered and appreciated. Other longtime friends, including Mary Ellen Mockbee, Bettina Krone and former clients of all ages whose problems and troubles she helped alleviate will miss her dearly. Sally wanted her family and friends to celebrate her life by being loving, and by remembering anything loving she might have been or done. And, she said, “don’t mind laughing. A sense of humor will save you.” We would like to thank her wonderful caregivers from Home Instead, Kindred at Home, Tapestry Walden and Big Bend Hospice, with special thanks to Cathy Rhodes and Connie Davis for their support in caring for Mom during her last year. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory can be made to Holy Comforter Episcopal Church or any organization that helps animals or people in need. A memorial service/celebration of Sally’s life will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Holy Comfort Episcopal Church, 2015 Fleischmann Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. Todd Wahlquist with Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.