Sally Hinchliffe MacMillan

Sally Hinchliffe MacMillan, 76, died peacefully on August 26, 2025, at Tryon Estates, Columbus, NC. Sally was born in Vermont, the daughter of John and Mary Hinchliffe. She attended Arcadia University and Tufts University, where she worked in the Placement Office of the latter while embracing the diversity on campus of staff and students, a life-changing experience after growing up in Lexington, MA.

She met the love of her life, John Christopher MacMillan, while living and working on Hilton Head Island, where they were married on the beach in 1983. After building their first house on the May River in Bluffton, SC, they maintained their own medical business for over 20 years, selling to hospitals and doctors in six Southeastern states. In 1996, Chris and Sally moved to NC, where she had the vision for a Unitarian Fellowship and a free medical clinic in Brevard. She worked tirelessly as a founder of both the UUTC and Volunteers in Medicine (later The Free Clinic). As a resident of Sherwood Forest in Brevard for 16 years, she established the bluebird nest box trail along the golf course, fought the development of green areas, advocated for stopping the use of Roundup chemicals, and introduced the concept of riparian buffers to stabilize stream banks. As conservation chair of the Sierra Club, she collected hundreds of petition signatures to protect the land, which later became Gorges State Park.

Sally was passionate about politics and her work on Barack Obama's campaign, earning her an invitation to the White House. Together with her Quaker friend, Rosemary Keller, she started weekly Saturday peace vigils in front of the courthouse that continued for 10 years. She was a frequent contributor to Letters to the Editor columns in newspapers.

Sports and Arts were an important part of Sally's life as well. She loved tennis, golf (twice Sherwood Forest Women's Golf Champion), pickleball, swimming, biking, walking, and birding. She dabbled in the arts-enjoying creating watercolor paintings, needlework, crafts, pottery, baskets, and woodworking. She received eight awards in 2022 for her participation in the Transylvania County Senior Games and Silver Arts; seven awards in 2024 at the Polk County Silver Arts.

Sally's fondest memories are of her time spent with Chris. Together they camped in their van in all 48 contiguous United States and much of Canada. Sally was predeceased by her parents and her three brothers. She leaves behind her husband, Chris, and her nieces and nephews.

If you wish to donate in Sally's memory, please give to Dogwood Alliance, PO Box 3645, Asheville, NC 28802 or to Southern Poverty Law Center, PO Box 548 Montgomery, AL 36101-0548. Mountain View Cremation & Funeral Care has the honor of serving the family.