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This is an excerpt from an essay written by Bill Ritter, a NYC local news anchor whose children were students of Sally's, followed by the link to a you tube video featuring Sally! Thanks to Lisa Browar for the links to these two tributes to Sally!
March 4, 2013 1:45:20 PM PST
By Bill Ritter
March 4, 2013 --
Thanks to all of you who responded with positive feedback to my "in my dream" column on Friday - ruminating about what a human-friendly society might look like, where folks have a safety net for the basics, and then are encouraged to be productive, with lower rather than higher taxes.
I was not surprised by the positive feedback. I was sickened by the negative.
And I'm trying not to let the Debby Downers of the world affect me. But sheesh, such anger and vitriol.
This line of thinking has been haunting me, because dang-it, life's too short to be spewing all this venom that some seem to relish in. As if I needed any proof, it reared its mortal head again this morning, after I got word that one of the most magical people I've ever met, Sally Woodson, one of the founders of the East Side/West Side Music Together in New York, suddenly died. Sally was a pied piper for young children, introducing them to the sounds and vibrations and love in music. My youngest child started when she was 10 weeks old, and I think her love of music, the singing that comes from deep inside, and her ability to keep a beat and open her mouth in tune is, in no small part, because of Sally, and her skills, wisdom and patience.
Her death came out of nowhere - she was diagnosed with cancer just three weeks ago, and it has metastasized so ferociously that they apparently aren't even sure yet where it started.
There are so many parents who owe so much to this wonderful woman - a woman with no children of her own, but with so many kids to her children. "These are my children," she once told me, when I asked about her own family. "And that's why I care so much about them."
And she did care. So very much. And we cared about her. When my youngest girl "graduated" after 11 semesters of Music Together, I was in a funk, because I knew I would no longer have my weekly songfest with Sally. She taught all of us about music and its joys. And now those who loved her are singing in sorrow.
Thank you Sally Woodson, for your pure joy, for your voice, for your heart. Every time every child who learned from you - thousands of them - sing or dance or beat a drum, they'll owe to you. And they won't just making music, they'll be making life come alive.
Here is the link: right click and then click on "open in new window"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnW5UXHVgYo https://www.facebook.com/events/348354198604432/
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Dan Kimball
Sally and I had a lot of fun together. We would go down to the Plaza at Christmas and look at the lights. We went to see West Side Story. On top of a Plaza parking car garage I would sign songs to her from that movie and she would sing back . Keep in mind that I can' t really sing and she really could. (LOL). We would dance around on the roof and have a great time. She was a good friend and fun to hang out with. I am sorry to see she has passed.
If anyone knows what happened to her or anything about her after high school please post it..
Thank you.
Diane Plumb (Brown)
I have many fond memories of Sally from SMS and beyond.
She sang at my (first) wedding and had a beautiful voice. Sad to hear she
is no longer with us.
Lisa Browar
Here is what I know about Sally. She lived in NYC for many years and taught in a preschool program called Music Together. She inspired a love of music in many children at very young ages. While Sally never had children of her own she regarded her students as her own children. About fie or six years ago (I think)'Sally was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and died only a few weeks later. She left behind a husband and many grateful parents of the children she taught. I am sorry that I never knew that Sally was in NYC all those years because I was living and working there too. I learned all of this after her death reading her obituary.
Dan Kimball
Lisa, Thank you for sharing information about Sally. I bet she was a great teacher and and a great role model for childern. She was an all around nice person and a lot of fun to hang out with.
Dick Holloway
Hey Dan, hope you are doing well - looks like you are in St Louis area?
Sally followed her dreams. I don't know exactly how quickly after leaving KU she headed to NY, but it wasn't too long. I remember asking what happened to Sally and nobody had any idea where she went. Finally found out she was in NYC. She got involved with theater and landed some roles in productions mainly off broadway, I think. She married her agent, Lew, and they lived in the city for most of the years and may have moved to the NJ suburbs later. We met for dinner on one of my business trips to NYC and had a fun night reminiscing. I hadn't been to NYC and we walked around with her serving as tourist guide. She showed me where Lennon was shot, Central Park, etc. We communicated via FB some, and I had just messaged her for restaurant suggestions. She was going to get back with me and of course said we better make some time to see her during our visit. We ended up delaying that trip and it was not long after that I heard she had died from an aggressive cancer. Lisa was right, she did love Music Together and was recognized by many in NYC for working with kids. I think if you google Sally, you can find an article written by a parent about Sally. Sally never changed, was a great friend and had a spontaneity for life in the moment. We go to NYC fairly often and I always toast Sally whenever we do!
Pamela Perkins (Jordan)
I lived in NYC from 1978-1980 and got married there. My fiance and I were waiting to cross the street on the upper west side when a sweet voice said, "Pam, is that you?" I turned around and to my surprise it was Sally.....she lived right across the street! She and I became fast friends and I tried to see several shows she was in. She travelled with a tour company putting on Broadway plays up and down the east coast. She attended one of my bridal showers and my wedding in the spring of 1979. We lost track of each other over the years, but I did follow her on Facebook and that's how I learned of her passing. I still follow her sister Judy who lives in Palm Desert, not too far from me. Sally was such a wonderful and talented person who was taken too soon. #gonetoosoon
Martha Heizman (Engle)
My cousin, Glenda Thompson Bona, performed at Waldo Astoria with Sally & they were roommates. I recently found this article regarding their performances. I thought those of you who also admired Sally would be interested.
Kevin Eichner
She was a terrific person. Very sorry to hear of her passing. Good to see remembrances from my buddies Dick Holloway and Dan Kimball. Kevin