Sally Whelan died June 14, 2011.
Obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle:
Sally Louise Whelan
August 26, 1957 – June 14, 2011
A lifelong resident of Menlo Park, Sally Louise Whelan died June 14, 2011, in Palo Alto surrounded by her loving family.
A fourth generation Californian, she was born to Harry G. Whelan M.D. and Joanne (Jodie) Roberts Whelan in Redwood City on August 26th, 1957. She attended Menlo Atherton High School, and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University in 1983. A marketing major with a keen fashion sense, she was sought out when she worked as a personal shopper for Nordstrom’s. She was a buyer for Liz Claiborne and Jones of New York. She later became a sales rep for Telecheck and Softkey Computer Company. She was working for Mars Candy Company until her health declined.
She is preceded in death by her mother Jodie Whelan (2002). She is survived by her father Harry G. Whelan M.D., brothers Gabe (Debbie) Whelan and Robert Whelan, sisters Anne (Steve) Englert, Pat (Phil) McDonnell, Mary (Steve) O’ Neill and Sophie (David) Kirk. She had 13 nieces and nephews Steve, Sophia, Hilary and Bobbie Englert, Jennifer, Harry, Natalie and Abby Whelan, Philip and Erin McDonnell, Lauren O’Neill (God-daughter), Libby and Laura Kirk and many cousins.
An accomplished athlete, she played varsity tennis all four years for Menlo Atherton. She loved to water and snow ski. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, and card games of all kinds. She traveled extensively around the United States and Europe. For over twenty-two years, she and her cousin Jo Malone would attend the New Orleans Jazz festival where she met and maintained friendships with fellow jazz aficionados from around the country. She was also a member of the Junior League of Palo Alto.
A Rosary will be held on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 7:00pm at Roller & Hapgood Funeral Home in Palo Alto. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday June 23, 2011 at 11:00am at St. Denis Church in Menlo Park. The family requests that donations be made to the Pathways Hospice Group of Palo Alto.
Published in San Francisco Chronicle on June 19, 2011
