Sally Gillespie, 85, committed to city’s historic preservation
January 30, 2025
Sarah Clyde Morgan Gillespie of Georgetown died Jan. 18 at her home. She was 85.
Known as Sally, she was born Dec. 5, 1939, in Cedartown, Ga, the daughter of Julian Hardage Morgan and Emory Clyde Morgan.
She and her sister, Julianne, carried on their family tradition as members of the Cedartown Rod & Gun Club, swimming, fishing, berry picking, home-cooked meals, story telling, jigsaw puzzles and sing alongs on their cabin’s back porch.
Sally was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Cedartown and graduated from Cedartown High School in 1958. She studied home economics for two years at Auburn University, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
On a blind date in Pensacola, Fla., she met Thomas Evan Gillespie Jr., a Marine lieutenant in flight training school. They were married in 1960 at McFall Memorial Chapel in Kingsville, Texas.
Mrs. Gillespie finished her Auburn bachelor’s degree through correspondence courses while living on the military base in El Toro, Calif. She was always proud to shout “War Eagle,” especially when Auburn was up against her husband’s Vanderbilt teams. They were married for 55 years until his death in 2016.
She used her discerning eye to design homes and gardens in Columbia, Statesville, N.C., Basking Ridge, N.J., and Georgetown, her home of nearly 50 years.
With her son-in-law on the crew, she built her beach house at Pawleys Island, named The Mustard Seed. The Gillespies hosted many family gatherings where all ages cast for shrimp, fished for flounder and floated in the creek.
Mrs. Gillespie taught science at Winyah Academy. She later worked as an officer at Andrews Bank and Trust and expanded her financial education in Boulder, Colo. Then, she obtained her real estate license, and became an agent for Pawleys Island Realty.
She was a member of Georgetown Presbyterian Church for nearly 50 years serving as elder, deacon, committee chair, Sunday school superintendent and teacher, community outreach supporter and chair of church improvement projects.
Mrs. Gillespie was a member of the Georgetown Architectural Review Board. She educated herself with all aspects of maintaining Georgetown’s wide collection of historic structures and was an ardent preservationist.
She was proud to live in the downtown community and considered its diversity to be its greatest strength, her family said.
She is survived by her daughter, Emory Ann Gillespie (Bob David); her grandchildren, TomHenry (Rachel), Raina (Adam), Austin (Christene), Wesley (McKinley) and Julian; her great-granddaughter, Josephine Hays; and her niece and nephews and their children.
Another daughter, Susan Hays Gillespie Elliott, died in 2009.
A memorial service was held Saturday at Georgetown Presbyterian Church.
Memorials may be made to the church, 558 Black River Rd., Georgetown, SC 29440; Peacehaven Community Farm, 1458 N.C. Highway 61, Whitsett, NC 27377; or Family of Christ Presbyterian Church, 2410 35th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634.
There is a guest book at mayerfuneralhome.com.
