Sally Magneson Obituary

Sally Weld Strawbridge Magneson, 99, a woman with an indomitable spirit and strong social conscience, passed away at her Ballico home on December 24, 2025.

Sally was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on November 10, 1926, to Gordon Weld Strawbridge and Elizabeth Moschell Echternach. Several years later, the family moved to California, settling in Palo Alto where Sally attended Peninsula School and Palo Alto High School. As a young girl Sally made life-long friends, a pattern that continued throughout her life. She loved the natural world, climbing trees, and exploring the nearby foothills.

In March 1943, when Sally was 16, her mother died, and because her father was serving in the WWII Coast Guard, arrangements were made for Sally to live with relatives in Philadelphia. She traveled by train to Pennsylvania where she began a new life, attending Springside School for Girls, coming out as a debutante, and volunteering in the home war effort. At war's end she returned to California and enrolled in San Jose State College, majoring in art, and living in Pratt Hall where she and her dormmates had active social lives. At the fall Registration Dance, she met Charles Walter Magneson, a soldier just back from fighting in Europe. A courtship ensued; in Charlie, Sally had found her lifelong companion, a man who shared her love of the outdoors, intellectual curiosity, and progressive views of the world. They were married on August 31, 1947, at Grace Cathedral Church in San Francisco. He was a mature man of 24; Sally was 20. They were happily married for over 70 years.

The young couple moved to UC Davis where Charlie was enrolled as an animal science major. Charlie was in the midst of finals when Leslie, their first child, was born in June 1948. After his graduation, they moved to Charlie's grandfather's family farm where Sally fell in love with the beautiful Merced River valley and began her life as a young mother. Fulfilling her long-standing dream to have a large family, Sally had six more children-Nancy, Robin, Scott, John, Mark, and Eric-in the span of eleven years.

Sally's optimism, boundless energy, and desire to create a well-rounded life for her children spurred her into civic and community engagement. She was pivotal in local education issues, at one point in the early 1950s loading her station wagon with her four young children and driving through the Cressey and Ballico areas to convince parents to enroll their children in a proposed new kindergarten. A tireless volunteer, she served the valley youth as a Brownie, Girl Scout, and Cub Scout Leader; school and church field trip chaperone; Livingston Teen Club organizer; and P.T.A. president for three schools. Charlie's long hours on the farm called for Sally to be resourceful in planning and coordinating activities, including ferrying children to swimming, dance, music, and etiquette lessons. Though her life was very busy, Sally was still able to nurture her artistic and creative gifts, taking thousands of photographs, designing and maintaining an ever-expanding garden, and corresponding with friends and family in long and witty letters. She loved to bake, and cookies, ice cream, and tapioca pudding were favorite desserts. Summer afternoons were spent swimming in the Merced River and nearby canals. For two weeks, every August, the family camped, hiked, swam, and fished in Yosemite National Park, primarily in Tuolumne Meadows. Later, in the mid 60s, Sally and Charlie introduced backpacking into their children's lives, with the family sojourning even deeper into the Sierra for vacations. Throughout these years, Sally and Charlie developed a strong network of close friends and extended family.

As her children grew older, Sally enlarged her circle of community involvement, becoming a founding member of the Merced County League of Women Voters, Merced Area Democrats, Merced Mental Health Association, and more. She and Charlie were active in Democratic politics, women's health, the Sierra Club, numerous family farm organizations, and civil and human rights political campaigns, including anti-war marches. Sally was recognized and received many commendations for the difference she made through her activism: She was a member of the Merced County Library Commission and was appointed by the governor to a four-year-term to the California Board of Reclamation. She also received a Jefferson Award for Merced County Democratic Service and a Common Threads Award recognizing women whose roots are in agriculture and who have dedicated themselves to their community through volunteer service and philanthropic giving. The family farm is now protected from development by the California Farmland Trust.

In 1978, grandchildren began arriving, thirteen in all. Great-grandchildren followed, making family holidays and celebrations ever more lively. In later years, Sally and Charlie began traveling, enjoying over 30 Road Scholar trips and visits not only to the Southwest and Mexico with friends but also to the east coast to see relatives.

Throughout her life, Sally's priorities were family, friends, a deep love of nature and animals, environmental protections, and equality and freedom for all. She was a passionate photographer, writer ("I have to write"), and reader of newspapers, classic literature, and nonfiction history. She painted landscapes and political posters, sewed, fashioned eye-catching costumes, created memorable birthday cakes, and decorated her home with art from her travels. She loved to sing, waking her children up on school days with "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and "Good Morning Merry Sunshine." She was especially known for her generosity, opening her heart and home to visiting exchange students, conducting farm field trips for elementary school students, hosting overnight stays for members of the Unitarian Church, and providing safe harbor for people facing hardship.

When asked how she was doing as her health declined, Sally always said she was happy and that she'd lived a wonderful life.

Sally is survived by her seven children: Leslie Chiles (Ron), Nancy Cassidy (John), Robin Center (Bill), Scott Magneson (Pam), John Magneson (Kymm), Mark Magneson (Pamela), and Eric Magneson (Moira). She was proud of and involved in the lives of her 13 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.



She is also survived by sister Daphne Stewart (Roger), brother Roger Strawbridge (Wendy), and cousin Sandy Robertson (Terry). The family gives special thanks to Sally's caregivers: Martina, Michelle, and Maribel, as well as to Hinds LifeCare hospice, especially Jaimie, Maria, and Yolanda.

A celebration of life will be held in the spring at Sally's home. To make a gift in Sally's honor, please consider the Merced County Library and the Sierra Club.