Sally Jo Hoey

Sally Jo (Zellar) Hoey December 23, 1943 - January 3, 2021 Our beloved wife and mother, Sally Jo Hoey, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 3, 2021. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, William Edward (Ted) Hoey and her daughter and sons, Julie Hoey (Bill) Miller, Doug (Laura) Hoey and Jay (Alicia) Hoey. Sally is also survived by her “daughters at heart” Marianne (Serge) Benoit and Isabel Sapriza, exchange students who remain close to Sally and the family still today. Sally is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Liam and Delaney Miller, Will, Molly and Gavin Hoey, Alison and Zachary Kittle, Faye, Reece and Josephine Hoey, and William Benoit; her sisters Martha Zellar and Crystal (Steve) Zellar Hinkle; her nephews Jess (Tiffany) Hartman and Ian Hinkle; grand-niece Avery Hartman; and many lifelong friends. She was predeceased by her sister, Lana Mae Zellar Boots, who passed away on May 2, 2020. Born on December 23, 1943, to the late Ruth Genevieve (Ross) & Attorney Jay Bernard Zellar, Sally grew up in Zanesville, Ohio, with her sisters, Lana, Martha and Crystal. She graduated from Zanesville High School in 1961 and attended Ohio University. She returned to Zanesville to work at Ohio Bell and married William Edward (“Ted”) Hoey from Cambridge, Ohio, on December 26, 1966. Sally’s priority was her family, and she was a devoted wife and loving, caring mother. While supporting her husband and raising three children, she went back to school part-time to attain her bachelor’s degree in Library Science from Ohio Dominican College in Columbus, OH. A voracious reader herself, Sally sought to nurture and inspire the love of reading in children of all ages and worked at the London Public Library for several years while her children were young. Sally joined the S & L Creative Carpet in 1984. Starting as the bookkeeper, her role and responsibilities grew as she enjoyed learning all aspects of the flooring business. Sally’s passion and business acumen led her to purchase the company in 1989. As one of Central Ohio’s first female business owners, she successfully managed and grew the business, now known as Creative Carpet Flooring Mill Outlet, for over 30 years. Philanthropy and service were important to Sally and she enjoyed being an active member of London’s Rotary International and the Chamber of Commerce. She was an energetic supporter of Madison County Hospital and cherished the time she spent volunteering with the Madison County Hospital Auxiliary, as well as the Crisis Pregnancy Center and Coover Club. Sally was also a faithful parishioner at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in London and later St. Francis by the Sea in Hilton Head, SC. Sally will be remembered most as a loving, vivacious, generous, energetic, fun-loving and strong-willed “force” who touched the lives of so many. Anyone who knew Sally knows that food was her “love language,” and she showered her love on family and friends in the form of delicious dinners and fun times together. She very much enjoyed entertaining and was a fantastic cook, known for her signature appetizers and scrumptious Christmas cookies. But it was her grandchildren (and grand-niece) that were the real loves of her life. She made frequent trips to visit them and loved hosting family and friends at her home on Hilton Head Island. Her limitless generosity, adventurous spirit, love of travel, boundless energy and “can-do” spirit were her hallmarks. She was always busy juggling work and planning her next adventure. We have fond memories of many great family trips together, from the Smoky Mountains to Orlando to Palm Springs to Paris. Sally was also a fierce competitor who was always up for a game of cards, her favorite being the Five Crown tournaments she played with her friends and grandchildren. Last but not least, Sally was always game for a “quick trip” to a nearby casino where, whether it was a God-given gift or the luck of the Irish, she always seemed to win. She will remain in our hearts forever. Due to COVID-19, Sally’s funeral service was postponed and will take place this coming Friday, April 9, 2021. The funeral mass will be at 11am at Christ Our Light Parish (St. Benedict Church) at 701 Gomber Avenue (corner of North 7th Street and Gomber Avenue) in Cambridge, OH. Family visitation will take place an hour before mass at 10am at the Church. The family understands everyone is in different situations given the current pandemic and appreciates the love, support and prayers from all. We will be following appropriate CDC guidelines for the funeral mass and reception. In addition, the service will be livestreamed for those who would like to join us virtually. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sally’s memory to Madison Health Foundation at www.madison-health.com (210 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140) or the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation at https://cholangiocarcinoma.org/sally-hoey/.