S Sally M. (Kujala) Lingner

WORCESTER -- Sally M. (Kujala) Lingner, 76, of 13 Willard Avenue, died peacefully at home on Saturday, September 6, 2008, surrounded by her family, after a long struggle with colon cancer. She leaves her husband of 53 years, Robert E. Lingner; four sons: David and his wife, Susan, of San Diego, CA; Richard of Arlington, MA; Robert, Jr. and his wife, Cynthia Thompson, of St. Louis Park, MN; Thomas and his wife, Amy Benson, of Belmont; and one daughter, Susan Yacino and her husband, Christopher, of Dudley; four grandchildren: Matthew and Scott of San Diego; and Buddy and Margaret of Minnesota; one brother, David Kujala, and his wife Virginia of Landenberg, PA; and an identical twin sister, Shirley Sauer and her husband, Harold, of Ocean Park, ME.

Sally was born in Worcester, daughter of Eino A. and Mary (Mattson) Kujala, part of the Finnish community on Belmont Hill. Her family moved to Holden when she was seven. She graduated from the former Holden High School in the Class of 1950. Sally earned a B.S. in Education from Worcester State Teacher's College in 1954, and a Master's in Education from Clark University in 1960. She taught elementary school in Rutland and Old Town, ME. Later in life, she took courses in Early Childhood Education and taught at nursery schools in West Boylston and at the Greendale YMCA. She was director of the former Child Center at Worcester State College from 1980 to 1991.

Sally was a member of the First Congregational Church in Holden and sang in its choir. She met her husband when he began as organist there in 1953. They were married at the church in 1955. They lived in Orono, ME and East Stroudsburg, PA before returning to Worcester in 1968. In 1986, Sally scheduled a grand circle trip around the country on Amtrak that included family visits in Minnesota and California. She and Bob thereby fell in love with train travel and have since enjoyed dozens of such trips throughout the U.S. and Canada visiting scenic and historic sites. In recent years they started retracing the old western emigrant trails and have attended several conferences of the Oregon-California Trails Association.

She loved doing handwork of all kinds. She was a member of quilting groups in Concord and Chelmsford and participated in a shawl ministry with friends in Oxford. She supported Girl Scouts and once served as a Cub Scout den leader. Above all, she cherished time spent with her family and her sister. Family week in August at the summer beach cottage in Ocean Park, ME always provided treasured memories. Sally's love for her children extended to their friends, who were welcomed with the same warmth and kindness that she showed to all those she loved. Her open heart, quick smile, and sense of humor were prized by all who knew her, and will be sorely missed. The family would like to express its appreciation and thanks to Dr. Bilal Piperdi and the staff at the Levine Cancer Center, to the team from UMass Memorial Hospice, and especially to Sue, for her constant presence and loving care during her mother's final days.

A Memorial Service celebrating Sally's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 13th, at the First Congregational Church, 1180 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. Memorial arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden.

Website & Guest book: www.milesfuneralhome.com