Sally Cooley Streeter

Sally Cooley Streeter went to be with her Lord on August 9, 2024 in Cupertino, California, at the age of 97, surrounded by loved ones and passing peacefully following a stroke.
Born Sally Olga Dorcus Victoria Clarke on January 26, 1927 in Rochester, New York, she was the youngest of 8 children. Sally was a determined and spirited child, and became very creative to overcome the challenges and economic hardship of the Great Depression. Immediately after graduating from high school, her family bravely moved across country, with all their belongings piled high, to the promise of a healthy California lifestyle. While working in San Pedro, Sally met and married Jim Cooley.
Sally is predeceased by her husbands Jim Cooley and Noble Streeter, daughter Sheryl Hallstrom, and grandson Derek Abraham. She is survived by children John Cooley, Suzanne Olson (Jon), and Sabra Abraham (Gordon); grandchildren Jered Hallstrom, Heather Gustafson, Colin Abraham, Nicole Meyer, and Erik Olson; seven great-grandchildren, and many extended family members.
Jim and Sally raised their family first in Guerneville, before heading north to Redding in the summer of 1963. The local Russian River newspaper said they were moving to 'the hot place', which got a chuckle. Shasta College welcomed Jim to teach auto shop, and while the family adjusted to the Redding weather, their appreciation grew for the beautiful mountains and lakes. Her roles as homemaker, mother, wife and Magnolia School secretary made for busy days, but she did her best with embracing all with a sense of style and beauty.
Sally always had a passion for helping those less fortunate, perhaps stemming from her own humble upbringing. Sally would start her days with Bible study and prayer. She reached out with genuine caring to encourage the best in those she met. While Sally particularly had a heart for young children, she had love and respect for all people, so no surprise that she had several very dear life-long friendships as well as many other special friends along the way. She loved her family most dearly, always wanting us to be together and live life fully.
Sally was actively involved in the Shasta and Redding Symphony Leagues, the Performing Arts Society, Shasta County Arts Council and more. She is possibly most remembered in Redding for her "The First Years" Music Studio on Park Marina Drive, teaching Kindermusik and private piano lessons for many years. Always wanting to learn more, she took lessons herself from Duane Hampton.
Sally gave back to the community by taking her young students to perform at many senior homes in Redding. As a resident at SunnyView Retirement in Cupertino, she in turn was the recipient of many similar wonderful recitals in the last three years.
Music was one of the great joys in Sally's life and playing the piano for her loved ones was one of the ways she showed her love for them. Her children always particularly enjoyed her spirited boogie-woogie. She played for the high school dances in Rochester as a teenager, at churches over the years, and continued to play the piano into her 90s. Sally's love for music will live on through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and former students.
The family would like to thank all the kind-hearted and talented people who have been in Sally's journey thru life. Peace and love.