This diary is to provide information about Sarah Palin's mom, Sally Sheeran Heath.
If you are reading this diary to collect negative information about this woman, you may as well leave right now because there is none. If there were I would not be presenting this diary about her.
Sally Sheeran attended Richmond Hills,Washington in the early 1940's and graduated from the Richmond Hill (Bombers) High School in 1958. By a remarkable coincidence she is attending the 50th reunion of that graduating class this month.Another remarkable coincidence arose while I was gathering the material for this diary. Six years ago Sarah's mom at the ripe age of 60 participated in a 5k walk in the town three of my children reside in. When you consider they live on the opposite coast of the Sheeran-Heath family,it sure surprised me. I assume she was visiting relatives on this coast that year.
Further on my reasons for this background diary on probably the most influential woman of Sarah Palin's life:
I started this prodject with no preconceived mind-set. As an avid Obama supporter,however, I must be honest and say I was expecting some character traits which might support her daughter's stand on some important issues.
I found none.
In the material I searched I found very little material about Sally Sheeran's husband (Sarah's dad); a few passing remarks in the back and forth banter between alumni of Richmond Hills H.S. which I am presenting below.
(Alumni Sandstorm Archives)
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>>From: Sally Sheeran Heath ('58)
Re: Mothers in the '40s
To; Those of you who moved to Richland in the early '40s
Maybe there's a lucky few with a mom still living. Those women deserve
a tribute for what they had to put up with - leaving families far
behind, and going west to barren desert... the sand, bugs, snakes, etc.
But, on the other hand, there was camaraderie, faith, good jobs, and a
help-your-neighbor attitude which was hard to beat. You have to kind
of envy them even with all our luxuries.
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>>From: Dick McCoy ('45)
Re:Moms
Amen, Sally Sheeran Heath ('58). The early Moms were put in a difficult
situation. There were no stores except the small Nelson & Dam, and no
gas for the cars. One had to travel by bus downtown, then take the Twin
City line to Pasco (ugh) or Kennewick. No TV and little radio. All new
friends, and schools that were pretty desolate.
You have to be one of the Sheeran Clan, a great bunch. Pat ('48-RIP)
was of my school days friends, and I dearly miss him. It was great
seeing Katie ('61) at the Club 40 this year. I would love to say hello
at Club 40 next year.
-Dick McCoy, of the Terribly old Tin Can class of 1945
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>>From: Sally Sheeran Heath ('58)
http://richlandbombers.com/...
So thankful for the pictures so many of you have. The big flood
provided something good for the Sheerans. Maren's dad, Walt Smyth, and
a couple of other good Samaritans helped our family haul cement blocks
from one of the destroyed buildings to our home on Long Avenue where
the men constructed a real basement after doing the miserably dirty
job of removing the coal bin and furnace.
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>>From: Dick McCoy ('45) Re:Moms Amen, Sally Sheeran Heath ('58). The early Moms were put in a difficult situation. There were no stores except the small Nelson & Dam, and no gas for the cars. One had to travel by bus downtown, then take the Twin City line to Pasco (ugh) or Kennewick. No TV
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>>From: Larry Mattingly ('60) Re: Travel fun Besides entertaining people with fire, one of the more fun things I do in life is travel and meet people. While in Anchorage this week on business I got an e-mail from Sally Sheeran Heath ('58) to come by for a visit with her and husband Chuck ('56-Sandpoint, ID). So I called first and drove out there
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>>From: Marilyn "Em" De Vine ('52)
To: Katie Sheeran Johnson ('61)
Re: Sarah Palin
Sarah and my eldest daughter were neighbors in Wasilla. Keri wrote to
me as soon as Sarah won...she is so excited about having an "old" friend
set a new record: first female Governor of Alaska! I personally, don't
envy Sarah... in general, politics is a tough game. But somebody has to
do it, and I can only wish her all the best!
**********************************************************************8
>>From: Robert Avant ('69)
Re: Sarah Palin
Interesting that Sarah Palin with her Bombers in her background was able
to mark finish to one of Alaska's most popular Democratic politicians. She
was a very impressive mayor of Wasilla when I lived there and I have no
doubt about the job she will do in the belly of the beast (Juneau).
-Robert Avant ('69)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/8389243p-8284527c.html
Sarah is the daughter of daughter of Sally Sheeran Heath ('58) and
Chuck Heath ('56-Sandpoint, ID). -Maren]
>>From: Gale Waldkoetter Skaugstad ('72)
To: Katie Sheeran Johnson ('61)
Congratulations to Sarah! My husband, Cal, and I worked with the
Palin campaign here in Fairbanks, and we are ecstatic about her win!
Sign wavers braved -10° on Election Day, but it didn't affect their
enthusiasm.
Alaskans are eager for the positive changes she will bring to state
government. Cal is a sport fish biologist with the Alaska Dept. of Fish
and Game. We particularly look forward to the changes she will make to
get the department back on track!
Go, Sarah, go!
>>From: Marilyn "Em" De Vine ('52)
To: Katie Sheeran Johnson ('61)
Re: Sarah Palin
Sarah and my eldest daughter were neighbors in Wasilla. Keri wrote to
me as soon as Sarah won...she is so excited about having an "old" friend
set a new record: first female Governor of Alaska! I personally, don't
envy Sarah... in general, politics is a tough game. But somebody has to
do it, and I can only wish her all the best!
http://alumnisandstorm.com/...
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Okay,to sum up,Barck told us to take the high road and thats what I did here.
One quote from one of Sarah Palin's mom stands out:
"You have to be one of the Sheeran Clan, a great bunch. Pat ('48-RIP)
was of my school days friends, and I dearly miss him."
In this small town where her mother grew up this family was solid.
Does this imply that the Sarah who speaks tonight is solid?
No way. It also doesn't imply that she isn't.
What it tells me is that she comes from good stock.
PS: be sure to click on this link in which Sally Sheeran sent memories of what was apparently a legendary flood in that mountainous area of our great country. It has great pics of the bridge collapse etc.
http://richlandbombers.com/...