Lifelong Hoquiam resident Sally (Manley) Carlson passed away quietly at Pacific Care Center in Hoquiam on Aug. 5, 2024, at the age of 91. Sally was known as “MEME” to all that knew and loved her. She will be missed very much.
She told stories of collecting tin cans for the war effort with her Dad, who was Block Warden during World War II. Also, she drew lines down the back of her legs to make it look like she and her sisters were wearing real nylon stockings.
Introduced by his cousin, she met Carl Carlson and in 1953 they were married in her parents’ home on Sumner Avenue. She was preceded in death by her husband Carl of 67 years on July 6, 2020.
After graduating from Hoquiam High School, she went to work for Fairway Market in Hoquiam then went onto work for Grays Harbor Paper until she married and began to raise their two daughters.
She will be forever remembered as her grandchildren’s biggest cheerleader going near and far to watch them play football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball. She even traveled as far as Florida, to cheer her granddaughter Kiana’s team on in the softball world series in 2009.
She also loved to play BINGO at the Hoquiam Senior Center, plant vegetables in her greenhouse, work in her yard and cheer on the Seattle Mariners. Being a stay at home (but always involved) mom while her daughters were still in grade school she was active in PTA and Beta Sigma Phi, a non-sorority social, cultural and civic enrichment organization and enjoyed playing pinochle on Friday nights with the neighbors.
Sally was born July 13, 1933, at home in Hoquiam to Rollo Charles and Blanche Muriel (Major) Manley. The 4th of 5 daughters she was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Isabel (Gilbert), Patricia (Legander) and Gretchen (Samples). She is survived by her sister Betty Manley.
Other survivors include her daughters Ramona (David) Starr of Colorado and Donna (Laurence deceased in 2010) Dixon of Washington as well as her grandchildren Josh (Jade Smith) Dixon, Crystal Starr, Dustin (Melissa) Dixon, Adam (Megan) Starr and Kiana Dixon and great-grandchildren Ava Starr, Brinley Dixon, Austin Starr, Brady Dixon, Alice Dixon and Aurora Dixon.
