Sally Ann Hinckley

SOUTH PORTLAND – Sally Ann Horne Howe Hinckley was born on May 23, 1937, to Joseph and Virginia (Baker) Horne of Portland. A year later, her baby book described her as “sweet, fresh, and wise.” Clearly a delight to her parents!

As a little girl, while her father was serving in the military, Sally and her mother lived in the Cape Cottage area of Cape Elizabeth. She could walk to the beach with her friends; buy candy at Louisa Armstrong’s store; and visit her grandfather at Fort Williams, where he was chef in the Officer’s Mess – the place where Sally’s parents first met. As Sally described their home, “everything I loved or needed was within walking distance.”

Sally’s early years also included about 18 months in Germany with her baby brother, Robert, and her parents, where her father was stationed after World War II. She and a friend sometimes hitched rides in military jeeps to go sightseeing. At 15, she started her first job at a soda fountain in Portland’s Union Station. She had a gift for meeting interesting people wherever she went, making many great friendships. Sally graduated from Cape Elizabeth High School in 1955, and in more recent years hosted annual class reunions in her backyard.

Sally had a great sense of humor and was a prolific writer, contributing stories to The Cape Courier and the Portland Press Herald about her life experiences and the people she’d met. She wrote many short plays, including those she participated in with the Daytime Players performing group.

In 1962, Sally and her first husband, Raymond Howe, adopted newborn daughter, Diana. Later, in 1977, Sally gained three “bonus daughters” when she married Harris Hinckley. For almost 44 years, Sally and Harris shared their lives, their children, and their friends. They were long-time members of First Congregational UCC Church of South Portland, where (of course) Sally was involved in helping with various celebrations and events.

People have a way of using superlatives to describe Sally, and they are spot on. She was an amazing, talented woman; a great mother and aunt; and a helpful and generous friend. Her writing made us laugh, her parties brought us together, and her love and caring gave us joy. We miss her very, very much. Sally died peacefully on Jan. 23, 2025.

She is survived by daughters Diana Howe, Priscilla Hinckley, Lucy Littlejohn, and Alex Taylor; nieces Karen Hill, Gwen Alexander, Bobbi Boudman, and Lara Dion; grandchildren Scot Hinckley Danielson, Daniel Cooper, and Eleanor Englund; and grandnieces/nephews Alexandra Husted, Jonathan Barbeau, Jackson Boudman, and Julia Quist.

The family would like to thank the staff at Maine Health Maine Medical Center for their care and kindness to Sally in her final days.

Sally’s memorial service will be held on Friday, June 6, 1 p.m., at First Congregational UCC Church of South Portland. A reception will follow at 2 p.m., at Hobbs Funeral Home.

Sally Ann Hinckley