Sally Mallet Lauber of Wicomico Church, Va. died peacefully at her daughter’s home in Raleigh, North Carolina on Nov. 3, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Lauber, and her granddaughter, Ashley Anne Williams.
Born in Abbeville, Louisiana, on June 23, 1932 to Bella and Simeon Mallet, Sally’s first language was French. She learned English when her family moved to Bayou La Batre, Alabama, a small fishing village near Mobile, in 1936. Sally attended St. Margaret’s Catholic School, graduating in June 1950. While in high school, Sally worked at a local drugstore. That would prove to be a turning point in her life. One day, a boy from Mobile, came in for a milkshake and thus began the romance between Ray Lauber and Sally Mallet. They married on Aug. 5, 1950, two months after Sally’s graduation from St. Margaret’s and Ray’s from Auburn University. After a honeymoon in Biloxi, Mississippi, they moved to Waynesboro, Virginia, for Ray’s job with E. I. DuPont as an engineer. Sally was the first in her family to move out of state. She and Ray made a great team as they began their new adventure in this small town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In Waynesboro, they met many couples who were from other places in the country. They started their family a year later, welcoming daughters, Annette and Suzette, and seven years later, another daughter, Laura.
A devout Catholic, Sally was active in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church where she and Ray helped start the Catholic School. In 1960, Sally and Ray built “the cottage” on Cranes Creek off the Chesapeake Bay in the Northern Neck of Virginia. They did the work themselves and named it “Pleasant Livin”. Ray’s career caused them to move various times and Sally was very supportive. They spent time in Wilmington, Del., another stint in Waynesboro, and finally in Seaford. During all those years, the cottage remained the constant in their lives. It turned into a sprawling oasis for family and friends as they added on to the home several times.
Sally enjoyed entertaining and was known for her delicious meals, especially crab dishes. She was an avid reader and enjoyed playing bridge, tennis, and doing aerobics. Planting flowers and watching the birds gave her joy. She and Ray made many friends during their marriage of 62 years and those friends became family. They retired to “Pleasant Livin” in 1986. They loved having family and friends come to crab, fish, swim, boat, and enjoy life. Fiercely independent, Sally remained at the cottage after Ray died in 2012. For the last two years, she split her time between Virginia and North Carolina with her daughter, Annette, who provided companionship with love and compassion. Sally loved her family dearly and was so very proud of them.
She is survived by her daughters, Annette Lauber of Raleigh, North Carolina, Suzette Doepke (Greg) of Auburn, Alabama, and Laura Williams (Billy) of Montgomery, Alabama, her granddaughters, Kristin Forthofer (Gregory) of Auburn, Alabama, and Brooke Coyle (Chris) of Franklin, Tennessee, and grandson, Ben Williams (Kayla) of Montgomery, Alabama. Her nine great-grandchildren, Gabe, Sarah Ashley, and Graham Forthofer, Andrew, David, Adam, and John Coyle, and Beau and Bryce Williams always put a smile on her face. She is also survived by her sisters, Joyce Belcher and Gail Bailey (Jim) of Mobile, Alabama, and nieces, Shannon Barbadian (Matt) and Cameron Mealey of Corona Del Mar, California, and nephew, Martin Belcher (Susan) of Birmingham, Alabama. Several other relatives and countless friends will always be grateful for their time with her.
Family and friends will be notified of a virtual memorial prayer service led by family friend Monsignor Michael Shugrue. Sally’s ashes will join Ray’s in the Chesapeake Bay at a later date.
Finally, the family would like to thank Annette’s “army of friends”, the caregivers of Home Instead, and the team at Transitions Lifecare for all their help and support. In lieu of flowers, donations in Sally’s memory may be made to Transitions Lifecare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 or Home Instead Senior Care Foundation, a program to provide financial assistance to seniors needing the services of Home Instead Senior Care. Make checks payable to the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation and write in memory of Sally Lauber in the memo line. Mail checks to Home Instead Senior Care, 164 Wind Chime Ct., Raleigh, NC 27615.
Arrangements are by The Cremation Society of the Carolinas, https://www.cremationsocietync.com/.