Sally Harrison

Vernonia

Dec. 24, 1940 — July 21, 2022

Sally Marie Harrison, 81, a resident of the Vernonia community, passed away on July 21 at her home.

Sally was born on Dec. 24, 1940, in Vernonia. She was the older of two children adopted by Charles and Freda (Johnson) Biggs. She grew up on a farm off Biggs Road, and attended Vernonia High School, graduating with the Class of 1959. When she was a teenager, Sally started working at the Pal Shop in Vernonia.

She met her future husband, Delbert E. Harrison, by chance when Delbert and his fellow Marine buddy were visiting Vernonia on leave.

They started dating that day, and six weeks later they married on Dec. 9, 1961, in Vernonia. They followed Delbert’s logging jobs throughout the Northwest, and settled in Vernonia in 1969. Delbert passed away on Oct. 4, 2010.

Sally was a very positive and high-energy person. She used this gift wherever she worked. She was a cook for the Vernonia Grade School, and eventually retired, after over 20 years, from the Clatsop County Jail in 2005. Sally was the mayor of Vernonia for over six years.

She loved to volunteer and entertain, and was a sought-after emcee for local events. When she was younger, she grew a garden and canned all her own food. She enjoyed playing cards, especially bridge, and visiting with her friends.

She was a huge supporter of the American Cancer Society and had illustrated a book, “Mouse goes to College,” for them, and had been instrumental in their yearly melodramas. Sally’s first vocation was as a board member at the Vernonia Senior Center.

Sally was a gifted artist, and she practiced in sewing, quilting, crocheting and needlepoint. Her most cherished creations had to do with her drawings and paintings. She drew on canvas, made books and even published her ABC books for children. She enjoyed refinishing furniture, was active in all of Vernonia yearly events, was My Fair Lady Queen and was active in the local talent shows.

If you needed some painting done, you could count on Sally to help. She was a lover of life, and was always there to help her friends and strangers. People sought out Sally for her advice, and she was gracious enough to share her lessons she learned with others.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband and her parents.

She is survived by two children and a daughter-in-law, Michael and Melanie San Angelo, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Lila Harrison, of Vernonia; a grandson, Jordan Harrison, of Vernonia; and her brother, John Biggs, and his wife, Shirley, both of Toledo, and their three children.