Cecilia Marie Salley

After an extended illness Cecilia Marie Salley, 80, was called to her heavenly home on June 2, 2021.  Cecilia was the daughter of Cecil and Willa Salley of Salley, SC.  She graduated as the Salutatorian of her class at Salley High School and studied at USC and later at Palmer Business College in Charleston, SC where she met and married her handsome young naval officer.  Cecilia is survived by their two children: Michael (Sarah Forbes) Rustad and Michelle (Michael) Crouch in addition to two sisters: Barbara (Lee) Rayfield and Edith Moseley as well as numerous cousins and nieces and nephews.

Cecilia had many interests that involved music.  When she was in high school, she played a clarinet but was more proficient with the piano and accompanied her family during family sing along time.  She sang in her high school Glee Club, a quartet, and church choirs.  When she was in college, she used her piano skills to win the talent portion of the Miss Salley-Springfield contest and that plus here physical beauty permitted her to become Miss Salley-Springfield.  Cecilia also participated in athletics.  She was an excellent swimmer and became a junior lifeguard.  Additionally, she played in all of her high school basketball games and, after graduation, acquired an interest in tennis.  As Cecilia matured, her interests expanded.  She studied accounting at Aiken Technical College and later received a brokerage license and dabbled in real estate.

Cecilia was a compassionate caring adult who desperately wanted to help people in crisis.  For example, in 1987 she accompanied a local group to McClellanville to aid in recovery efforts for victims of Hurricane Hugo.  Additionally, she was a loyal friend who jumped into action if she learned that one of her friends was in peril. 

The light of Cecilia’s life was her children.  She was extremely proud of Michael and Michelle and would move mountains to make sure that they had every opportunity to become the persons God created them to be.

Visitation for Cecilia will be held in the fellowship hall of Salley Baptist Church on Tuesday June 8th at 11:00 a.m. and her funeral service will begin at 12:00 noon.  Roger Holley, the Chaplin at Pruitt Health Hospice in Swainsboro, GA will officiate. Interment will be at the Salley Oak View Cemetery immediately following the service.

The family would like to thank the staff and management of Pruitt Health, Old Capitol in Louisville, GA and Pruitt Hospice, Swainsboro, GA for the kind and gentle care Cecilia received.

Blizzard Funeral Home in Wagener, SC is assisting the family with Arrangements.  Condolences to the Salley family may be made online at www.blizzardfuneralhome.com

Memorials may be made in Cecilia’s memory to The Old Salley Museum, c/o Jerry Griswold, PO Box 700, Salley, SC 29137.

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