Sally Marie Halstead

Sally M. (Burns) Halstead, 83

Sally was born at home near Cedar Creek Landing, on the east side of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, on February 9, 1940, and left her loved ones on December 7, 2023. She was the 4th of 5 children born to Charles W. and Ernestine E (McMurray) Burns.  In 1956 she married Abraham “Abe” W. Halstead in Coeur d’ Alene and they had three children.  Abe passed in 1970 leaving her a widow at 32.  She never remarried.  

Sally lived most of her life in the Spokane and Sandpoint areas, with short stints to California and Pennsylvania. She worked many years at the old library on 2nd street and then as a school bus driver for Sandpoint Head Start.  She was known as “Grandma Sally” to many preschoolers and her face would brighten up when someone recognized her years later. Sally was everyone’s grandma, but her internal light was brightest when she was with her granddaughters, whom she was especially close to.  Sally would make colorful quilts for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family members which became cherished items that she sometimes had requests to repair or replace. 

In her younger days, Sally loved fishing, going out to “home” near Cedar Creek, reading westerns, and working on cars.  As she “grew up”, she got into jigsaw puzzles, quilting, various crafts, and was an avid cribbage player. 

Sally was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, husband, one sister and two brothers.  Sally is survived by her sister, Cathy (Allen) Phillips, Sagle; daughters, Jeanette Halstead (Dan), North Dakota; Debra Halstead, Pocatello; son, Robert (Cindi) Halstead, Sandpoint.  She also leaves behind granddaughters, Leah (Rob) Thoreson, Kootenai; Janay (Geoff) Smith, Ponderay; Tara Tanner (Tom), Pocatello; Dejah Lane, Athol; and Salena Gustaveson, North Dakota; eighteen great grandchildren, and fourteen gr-great grandchildren as well as her friend, Susan, from home health. 

Sally was very loved by her family and the glue that held it together.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 am, Friday, December 15, 2023 in Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel.  Interment will take place in Pinecrest Memorial Park.