Sally T. Deatly died Nov.10, 2019, at home in Basking Ridge. She was 93. Born May 6, 1926 in Philadelphia, PA, she was the daughter of Mildred Torney and Newell Elliot Thomas. Sally graduated from Baldwin School in 1944 and Smith College in 1948. After graduation from Smith College, Sally worked at Macy’s in NYC where she met and then married Richard Henry Deatly. They moved to Chatham in 1955. Sally was dedicated to making a significant impact in Chatham. She spent a major part of her life in leadership roles including Planning Board, Zoning Board, Board of Adjustment, Environmental Commission, Historic, and the Board of League of Women Voters. Sally was President of Kiwanis (2003 – 2004), chaired town festival, Fishawack Day, chaired an outdoor Symphony Concert for the Arts Council of Morris County and Hospital Task Force Committee, Sally was very involved with her Alma Mater, Smith College as Class President and ran her 50th Reunion, as well as part of the Smith Alumnae Association Nominating Committee.
Her dedication to her community was evident by several awards: the Distinguished Service Award (1987), recognized her for decades of dedicated volunteer service and 2 terms as President of the Historic Preservation Commission of NJ and recognition for Chatham Borough Planning Board for 20 years (2005).
Everyone who knew Sally was inspired by her intellect, dedication, and her immense love for family and friends. Sally also enjoyed and played competitive tennis, platform tennis and golf. She was an avid knitter and bridge player. She was a member of Canoe Brook Country Club, Minisink Swim and Tennis Club and Chatham Garden Club.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Richard H. Deatly, her sister, Helen Thomas Lethbridge and her brother-in-law George (Bud) Lethbridge. Surviving are her 4 children, Patricia Thomas Deatly (Basking Ridge, NJ), Anne McClure Deatly (North Haledon, NJ), William Newell Deatly and his wife, Brandon Forsyth Deatly (Summit, NJ) and Cynthia Deatly Ross and her husband, George Sidney Ross (Chatham, NJ), her 6 grandchildren Caitlin Thomas Kamp and husband Nathaniel Kamp (Sunnyside, NY), William Deatly Peluso (Brooklyn, NY), Corianne Sutro Deatly (Hamilton, NY), Brittany McLeish Ross (Chatham, NJ), Thomas Axton Deatly (Garfield, NJ) and Nicole Deatly Ross (Chapel Hill, NC) and a great granddaughter, Phoebe Carter Kamp (Sunnyside, NY). Sally is also survived by one niece, Sally Hunsdorfer and her husband Peter Hunsdorfer and two nephews, Todd Lethbridge (Monrovia, California), and Scott Lethbridge and his wife, Catherine Lethbridge (Yonkers, NY) and great niece Linnea Deatly Butler (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho).