Sally Jex

Our mother, Sally Ann Calkins Jex, was born on May 28, 1975 in the city of Garden Grove, CA, 20 minutes away from Disneylandher favorite place in the world. She was born to loving parents who have since passed, her mother Arlene Thomson Calkins and her father James Elchard Calkins. She was the eldest of her siblings, Emily and Jimmy. The family moved to Utah when Sally was a young child, and her father died shortly thereafter when she was 7. She kept his adventurous spirit alive through many wild experiences with her siblings in their youth. She kept a special relationship with her Uncle Scott and was loved by all in her extended family.
Mom cultivated relationships with people all throughout her life, and she has many more friends over the world than we will ever get the chance to meet. Many of her close friendships started in her youth, and her most important relationship started at her mighty Skyline High School. There she met our father, Brian Wade Jex, who she is survived by. That foundational relationship and marriage of 28 years has supported and driven her throughout her life; it made her feel safe and gave them both so much love to grow.
A few short years after their marriage, Brian and Sally welcomed their first child, Benjamin Stewart Jex, and our new family quickly moved to her beloved Southern California. It brought her great joy to frequently visit the happiest place on Earth with her newborn son, and even more when her second son, Samuel Patrick Jex, was born. Work required that our growing family move north to Manteca and then to a loving house in Lathrop, where she has lived the last 23 years. Before long her youngest son, Dennie Steven Jex, was born in this new place we all call home. She was company to two lively dogs in her time as a homemaker, who both helped our family feel complete.
Our mother, with our dad, raised their children to be kind, funny, and powerful forces of naturejust as she was. We inherited her curiosity: she read often and took many college classesnot for a degree but for the sake of her fascination with the world. We inherited her love of stories: she regaled us with tales of Senjamin, Bamuel, and Lennie as children. As we have grown, she shared her love of many other art forms, including the tall tales of the cinema (and especially those of Tom Cruise running).
While we also inherited her bountiful nature of giving and support, we were far from the only ones to benefit from it. As she aged, my mother encountered mental illness and many physical challenges. She shared her ongoing story with friends around the world in her many decorated letters and posts as "The Apocaloptimist." She stayed connected for her sake and to let others know that they are not alone with their struggles. She wanted all to know that a full life could be lived in spite of difficulties. Our mother loved us all; she did her best to give everyone the space they needed to be themselves, to provide the support we needed to struggle and succeed in our efforts. These are lessons she learned through journaling, giving herself the space to exist as a human with imperfections and acceptance of herself.
While her death from heart failure on March 26th, 2025, was unexpected at the age of 49, we know that she did her best to live life for today and without regret. She didnt know what comes next after this life, but she knew the importance of being here and living this one to the fullest. Thank you for everything Mom. We carry your spirit in the way we live because of you.
Visitors are welcome to attend our celebration of Sallys life and legacy on Saturday, April 12th at 11:00 am PDT. The ceremony will be at P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home in Manteca. An online stream is provided for all her family and many friends around the world to participate. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Sally's name to St. Mary's Community Services.
St. Mary's Community Services
To view the service live, click: HERE
Services
Celebration of Life Service
Saturday
April 12, 2025
11:00 AM
P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home
290 N. Union Road
Manteca, CA 95337 To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Sally, please visit our Tree Store.