Sarah “Sally” Anne Schickler Allexan

Sarah, 97, of Elgin, IL, died peacefully in Vero Beach, FL on December 24, 2023. Sarah was born on October 31, 1926 in Elgin, IL to Ruth and Paul Schickler. She attended Elgin Academy before studying Spanish at the University of Illinois. She was the president of Delta Gamma Sorority. She met her husband John Richard Allexan there. They married February 25, 1950 and shared 69 happy years of marriage together.
Throughout their life together they moved to Michigan (Detroit, Keego Harbor, East Grand Rapids), Glen Ellyn, IL, San Juan, PR, Denver, CO, Scottsdale, AZ, and Casper, WY. Sal was instrumental in getting the government to clean up the Condado Lagoon in Puerto Rico in the early 70s with her friend Midge Pinto while working with the League of Women Voters.
Sally and John decided on retirement in Fountain Hills, AZ where they spent over 30 years making friends and enjoying life. Golf, bridge, hunting, fishing, art, travel, epic parties (who didn’t want to go to the Chinese New Years party every year). Did she travel? John and Sal went on 62 Road Scholar trips including China, Russia, Australia and Bora Bora. She tutored elementary students at her local school. There was a silver lining in everything with Sally - she used her personal amputation experience to help military veteran amputees who were struggling.
She was a prolific artist. Sal spent many an hour getting her paintings just right. We all looked forward to her hand painted Christmas cards. She was a partner in an art studio in Anguilla where she loved painting local people in daily life. Sal even rode out a three-day Hurricane in the studio - she said it was pretty windy.
Sally was preceded in death by her brothers, Paul Schickler II and Phillip Schickler III, husband John and her grandson John Travis Allexan, and is survived by and greatly missed by her sons John Stephen Allexan (Linda Sullivan), Daniel Scott Allexan (Paulette), granddaughters Kristin Marie Allexan (Ben Thiem), Sarah Sonya Allexan (Caleb Kline), Jackie Allexan (Ryan Sanders), great granddaughters Eleanor Allexan Kline & Adele Allexan Kline.
A memorial service will be held at St Anthony’s on the Desert 12990 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85259 on May 18, 2024 at 10am. Donations to St Anthony’s on the Desert would be greatly appreciated.
Arrangements by Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Vero Beach, FL.
A guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.