Sally Joy Ackerman

Sally Joy Ackerman, 69, of Winlock Washington, passed away October 19th at 4:10 am at Centralia Providence Hospital. Cremation rites have been accorded. A private family celebration of her life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to The Salvation Army, in the memo write for the “Childrens Christmas Gifts” to PO Box 488, Centralia, Wa. 98531. Or to any other organization of the same nature of choice.

Sally was born November 14, 1953, in Rock Island Illinois to Sylvia & Gerald Morgan. She was their fifth child of six. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by both her sisters Carol (Jerry) Genz, Patricia (Ed) Genz, her older brother William (Bill) Morgan & younger brother Michael (Mike) Morgan. She was also preceded in death by a 9 day old grandson, Jonathan Wayne Walsh Jr.

Her brother Rick Morgan survives in the Quad Cities, Illinois. Sally really enjoyed his phone calls over the last couple of months. Sally has many nieces & nephews that she spoke fondly of, several she babysat as a teenager. Sally is also survived by her three children and multiple grandchildren. Daughter Susan & (Scott) Hack, along with her grandchildren, Miranda, Megan & Matthew all of Pontiac, Ill. Daughter Stephanie & (Jon) Walsh, along with grandchildren Paris Walsh, Josephine Walsh, Hailey Goodrich & Abby Goodrich, of Winlock, Wa and Lucas Goodrich of Centralia, Wa. Her son Steven Ackerman of Winlock, Wa.

September 8th 1973, she married Tracy L. Ackerman of Rock Island. They were stationed at Fort Lewis Wa. that following spring. Her & Tracy had been separated for this last year.

In 1972, she graduated from Moline High School, then she worked at the Maid Rite Restaurant. She also worked several years at the National Frozen Food Cannery in Chehalis, Wa. until she decided to devote all of her time to raising her three children. She loved being a mom and was the best support we could ever ask for.

Sally lived a very simple life. Her family meant everything to her. She always made sure we had what we needed & showed us to appreciate what we had. She kept absolutely everything we made her. Growing up, she experienced a flood living on the Rock River in Moline. That is probably why she had so many “keepsakes”. We have been very happy to see those items now, we never knew she had kept.

Sally wasn’t just our mom, she was “MOM” to all of our friends as well. Mom had the biggest heart & was the strongest woman we ever knew. She always told us “If we were going to dream, DREAM BIG” which was something that her parents had originally told her growing up. She also told us “We could do anything we set our mind to”. Something else that I will always remember that she taught me, was when I had my first experience with losing someone, “That everything happens for a reason”. Holding her hands in the last few hours of her life, we told her “Jesus was waiting for her”, she had not said anything for quite some time, her very last words were “I KNOW”.

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