Sally Mace

Sally Mace, a beloved mother and devoted Christian, passed away on March 9, 2026, at the age of 86. Born on October 18, 1939, to Edwin and Eleanor Cunningham in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, she grew up in a family that moved frequently because of her father’s work in the aerospace industry. Those early years were filled with adventures alongside her sister Nancy and their pets.

Sally met the love of her life, Carl Mace, on a blind date arranged by Nancy and her husband Phil. They married and together raised four children: Debbie, Carl, Juli, and Steve. Sally and Carl shared a deep and inseparable bond, enjoying choir singing together, yearly wildflower trips, date nights at The Gospel Jubilee, and simply being in each other’s company. A gifted homemaker and cook, Sally took great joy in preparing holiday meals that overflowed with each family member’s favorite dishes.

She and Carl were longtime members of Akron Baptist Temple in Ohio before moving to Texas in 1988. In Texas they worshipped at First Baptist Church of Heath and later First Baptist Church of Rockwall, where Sally faithfully served in the choir, counted tithes and offerings, worked in the sound booth, and attended Sunday School. In her quieter hours she tended gardens, created crafts, sewed, painted, and cared for an extensive collection of bird figurines, especially owls, a fondness she inherited from her mother. An avid bird watcher, she filled her home with their images and sounds.

After Carl’s death, Sally moved to Wesley House in Quitman, where she formed warm friendships with fellow residents and was cherished by the staff who cared for her like family. She is survived by her children Debbie Phillips and husband James, Juli Garner and husband Joey, and Stephen Mace; grandchildren Troy Ruetz, Chelsea Ruetz, Colten Garner, Jolee Poteet and husband Wyatt, Josee Garner, Jayson Garner, Jayci Garner, Azure Alicandro-Mace, and Cedar Alicandro-Mace; great-grandchildren Maci Ruetz, Lukas Ruetz, Liam Phillips, and Yuri Phillips; sister Nancy Yuschak and husband Phil; and several beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Carl Luther Mace Jr., their son Carl Luther Mace III, and her parents Edwin and Eleanor Cunningham.