Sally Beth Nehring
1936 found 22 years old Nelly Billeter, the daughter of Amish descendants named Kooney (altered from the German Kühne at Ellis Island) in an odd place: married to Pacific Union Railroad Engineer Fred Billeter, 13 years her senior and the son of immigrants from the (then) German Alsatian region of Europe, living temporarily out of a railroad boxcar assigned to an engineering project in Eastern Washington, when young Sally Beth emerged to brighten their day, and for many days to come.
Now the center of the Washington wine growing region, Toppenish at the time was little more than a railroad junction.
The Billeters’ vagabond life continued for some time, moving from project to project, until a short year and a half later, David joined the clan, and the family settled down on the upper side of Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. The red brick house on the hill in which the Billeters lived provided a perfect launchpad for sledding on the rare Seattle snow day, with a wooden rocking chair in the ersatz sled.
Growing up in the ethnically diverse Georgetown neighborhood is likely where Sally developed her warm acceptance of others and deep intolerance for any prejudice: as one family friend explains, the otherwise always sunny Sally never hesitated to let even a perfect stranger know when he or she had addressed someone with even a hint of racial bias.
Though shying away from sports, Sally seldom missed an opportunity to socialize, seldom missing a movie at the local cinema with friends or another event. In signature Sally form, the young pupil quickly learned that, if you don’t want boys bearing snakes chasing you around the playground, don’t run away. Similar stances throughout life continued to garner praise and respect from all who knew her.
A good student, Sally was on a solid path to college. In choosing one, her then-shyness and desire to distance herself from her rather socially-conservative parents led her to join a college-bound friend at Pacific University, in Forest Grove, Oregon to study education. The small campus allowed the big town girl to shine: joining Phi Beta Kappa sorority, Sally shed any shyness and quickly climbed to the top levels of popularity, culminating with her crowning as Homecoming Queen.
Sally’s senior year saw the arrival of a young, chiseled, all-round sports star from the backwoods of Washington, a transfer from Centralia Community College on a sports scholarship. City girl Sally and the country boy Jack quickly were an item, and at age 21 married shortly after Sally’s graduation, August 17, 1958, during the short window of the year when both were the same age. Sally worked as secretary to finance Jack’s final year at college, something the bride never let her younger groom forget.
In 1959, the couple moved to the tiny logging town of Mapleton, Ore., where both taught. Jack pursued his hobby of fishing the Siuslaw river while gradually rising to the rank of principal of the local high school, while Sally took a leave of absence in January of 1962 to give birth to David Russell, followed less than two years later by Robert Brian. The 9 lb, 6 oz. birth of Bradley Allen in October 1965 caused the school paper to comment that “Coach Nehring is spending time with the Nehring Team Manager as they lay plans to complete their offensive line,” speculating when the remaining four would appear.
1968 the clan emigrated to Centralia, Washington, where Sally resumed fulltime teaching in the experimental schooling campus of Ground Mound: wall-less, open classrooms, a concept which Sally years later praised for the discipline it gave to the students’ learning.
Wanting to all be part of one school district, in 1976 the family moved to Parkhill Drive in Chehalis, where Sally and Jack would remain the next 42 years. Sally transferred to RE Bennett school, first in the role of Special Education Instructor, then as a valued 4th Grade Teacher and one-time student dance instructor.
Just in time for their 25th anniversary, Sally’s name was drawn for a 1-in-10 chance at Washington’s second $1 Million lottery. The $10,000 consolation prize paid for a memorable surprise party as well as to finance a Hawaii anniversary trip and cruise.
Always a partner in Jack’s sideline pursuits, Sally was also a semi-professional pinecone gatherer, cascara bark peeler, fishing- and crabbing boat driver, nightcrawler catcher- and boxer-upper, amongst many others.
The latter amounted to a rather sprawling fishing tackle distribution business, stretching to four counties, which allowed the couple to claim retirement at an earlier than usual age, giving them more time to continue traveling to not only each and every sport event of their sons, but of their grandkids as well, with the occasional trip fishing, camping or abroad with their sons’ families.
The retirement years also allowed the couple to spend several weeks every year in Palm Springs, where Sally managed to so endear herself to the Latino resort staff that several ladies would present her with self-made, hand-crafted garments each year upon her return and cry upon the couple’s departure – all the while not sharing a common language with Sally.
The picture book pillar of society, the couple were named “Bearcat Supporters of the Year” in 1998 for their years-long support of the local high school. Sally took an active role in Westminster Presbyterian Church, as a loving, caring Deacon, and her quick-witted humor brightened everyone she met, with her presentations as lay reader bringing out the hidden performer in her.
Her sons never tire of hearing the same praise from multiple people of their mother, “what a great lady!”
Sally joined her teammate Jack, Thursday, 14 May, 2020, following a year in the loving care of Betty Kitchen. The couple are likely already off spreading love and cheer to all they meet.
Sally is survived by her brother, David; sons, David, Robert and Bradley; grandchildren, Michael, Micheala and Sarah; and great-grandchildren, Parker, Kaydence, Jameson, Kace and Macallan.
A memorial service will be held in Summer, at a time to be announced.
