WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Sallyann Abel, 89, passed away on Jan. 19, 2021 at the home of her son Scott. Sally was born July 20, 1931 to Donald and Izetta Bartlett in Springfield, Mass. She graduated from Classical High School and went on to graduate from Lasell College.

She was married to Douglas Abel on Dec. 12, 1951. She moved with her family to East Longmeadow, Mass. where she raised her three children, Susan, Scott, and Peter.

She was active in the community, serving as president of the Junior League, a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, and a volunteer at Wesson Women’s Hospital. She never missed a sporting contest from Little League baseball thru high school sports in which her children participated.

During this time, she worked as a substitute teacher in the East Longmeadow schools, and later became manager of a women’s clothing store, Crockets, in East Longmeadow. It was during this time that she and the family vacationed for many years in Ocean Park, Maine, which she and her husband loved and later retired to.

She later moved to Shrewsbury, Mass. where she then worked for 16 years at UMass Medical Center, while also volunteering at the hospital for many events. In 1995, she and her husband retired and moved to Ocean Park. While living here, she stayed active as a volunteer in several community organizations, including the Ocean Park Association, Biddeford Free Clinic, Southern Maine Hospital and the Saco Food Pantry.

Sally loved being around her family and was especially proud of her eight grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren and always had a dog or cat, or both, at her side as a true animal lover.

She was predeceased by her husband, Douglas, in 1997.

She is survived by her daughter Susan (Fitts) and her husband Steven, her son Scott and his wife Debi, and her son Peter and his wife Cheryl; and a brother, Donald Bartlett. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Heather Barnes and her husband TJ, Kristen Vaillencourt and her husband Adam, Erik Abel, Brendan Abel and his wife Emily, Marissa Abel, Chris Abel, Carolyn McGowan and her husband James, and Laurie Abel. She also leaves behind her great-grandchildren, Jessica, Tyler, Connor, Carter, June, Griffin, Victoria, Alaiya, and Sophia.

Sally was an active member at both the First Baptist Church in Saco and the Ocean Park Association in Ocean Park. In her final days, in addition to sharing her memories of family, she remembered and spoke fondly of the many lifelong friends she made from her days in high school and college, friends made while raising her family in East Longmeadow, enjoying the friendships made at The Field Club playing tennis, and all the friends she made while working over the years, and finally the friendships formed during her retirement years in Maine.

The family would also like to thank Beacon Hospice of Southern Maine and Beacon Hospice of Springfield for their care and compassion over that last several months.

A service of remembrance will be held at a future date. The Toomey-O’Brien Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For more details please visit http://www.toomeyobrien.com.

Memorial donations made be made to

First Baptist Church.

318 Main St.,

Saco, ME 04072 or

Ocean Park Association,

P.O. Box 7296,

Ocean Park, ME 04063.

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