SALLY McCORD STANLEY's Obituary
PERRY –
Sally Ann McCord Stanley passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, after a brief illness. She was 84. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Visitation will be from 1:00 until 2:45 p.m. in the Family Life Center at Perry Methodist Church. Graveside Services will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Perry Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial contributions to Perry Volunteer Outreach, P. O. Box 1824, Perry, GA 31069, or Perry Methodist Church, 1002 Carroll Street, Perry, GA 31069.
Sally was born on December 28, 1939, in Gadsden, Alabama, to the late Dr. Bert and Mildred Thomas McCord. After graduating from Gadsden High School, she attended Auburn University and Birmingham Southern. While at Auburn, Sally met the love of her life, Ronnie Stanley. They married in 1960 and moved to Perry, Georgia, where they settled and raised their family.
In her early married life, Sally embarked on her life-long dream of teaching dance, setting up “studio” in the Perry Boy Scout Hut on Massee Lane, with a class of six students. As time went on and her number of students grew, she moved her studio behind Stanley Furniture before ultimately purchasing land and building the Sally Stanley Studio, later renamed KidsAmerica, on Macon Road. “Miss Sally,” as she was known to all, was an inspiration to generations of children, instilling in them confidence, self-worth, and perseverance. She celebrated each and every child’s success – no matter how small. No one clapped as loud or as long as Miss Sally. She was the Dale Carnegie for kids.
Throughout the years, Miss Sally gave her all in support of her students, personally prepping them for talent shows, pageants, and recitals. She spent hours developing choreography to fit each student’s needs and desires. She was always positive and fostered a “can do” attitude in the children who looked up to her. No one had more energy and effervescence than Miss Sally.
Over the years, Miss Sally expanded her business to Fort Valley, Warner Robins, and Macon. She added gymnastics and cheer to her repertoire, positively influencing children of all ages throughout middle Georgia. Always loving a project, Miss Sally directed and choreographed numerous plays and musicals in Perry and Macon. She supported the Macon Little Theater and was a lifetime member of the Perry Players.
Miss Sally was a member of the Perry Methodist Church for over sixty years and a current member of the I.H.S. Sunday School class. She was a charter member of The Beltista Club. The Beltistas became her lifelong friends, as they supported the local community through their philanthropy. She was a longtime member of The Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority.
Miss Sally was the “Hostess with the Mostest,” always opening her home for meetings, luncheons, and family gatherings, especially Thanksgiving and Easter. Sally’s Easter egg hunts were as much fun for the adults as the children. She was the “Life of the Party”. If those walls could talk! Many a party was thrown by Sally and Ronnie throughout the years. In their leisure time, Sal and Big Ron enjoyed boating, skiing, and relaxing on Lake Sinclair with Perry and Molly and later with the grandchildren.
Left to cherish the memories they shared with Sally are her loving and devoted husband of sixty-four years, Ronnie Stanley of Perry; her son and daughter-in-law, Perry and Dana Stanley of Perry; her daughter and son-in-law, Molly and Rick Long of Fayetteville, AR ; her grandchildren, Kathryn Stanley, Barrett Stanley, Curt Gentry (Lindsey), Emily Long May (Jacob), and Luke Long; her great-grandchildren, Trey Gentry, Evelyn Gentry, and Adalynn May; and her beloved niece and nephews, Patty Greene (Ernest), Stan Wilson (Jill), and Bucky Wilson (Juanita) and their families.
Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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