Sally Ann Montebello

Sally Ann Montebello, age 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of her family. She leaves behind a profound legacy of intellect, warmth, humor, and a deep devotion to her family and community.

 A celebration of life will be held at a future date.

Born in 1934, in Litchfield Minnesota, Sally was the eldest child of Julia and Lennox Danielson. Remarkably bright yet exceptionally humble, Sally was the valedictorian of her HS class. She went on to attend Swarthmore College in PA, where she studied chemistry—proudly counting herself among the rare few who genuinely loved organic chemistry.

Her life took a beautiful turn back in Litchfield when a young man playing town-team baseball came to the house for a date with her sister, Judy. Finding Judy already out, he asked Sally instead; the rest was history. They were married in 1956 and soon relocated to Bemidji, where her husband, Bob, took a teaching and coaching position at Bemidji State University (BSU).

Sally loved the outdoors—especially hunting, fishing, skiing, and skating—though she drew the line at riding a bike. She was an avid gardener of both perennials and annuals, always scheming to create new planting beds. While Bob was constantly mending fences, watering, and tilling, Sally frequently had to remind him not to get too aggressive with the mower, often joking, "I could just kill him!" after he clipped something he shouldn't have.

Sally was an insatiable reader who playfully confessed to skipping ahead to read the end of a book or article before going back and reading the rest of it. Also, she had a deep appreciation for classical music, particularly Mozart, and actively encouraged her children to play instruments, even if the results weren't always masterpiece material. Her love for the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, where she served on the Board, endured well into her nineties. Her adventurous spirit also took her around the globe—from cross-country skiing treks and annual Canadian fishing trips to exploring Glacier National Park, Banff, Hawaii, Italy, Costa Rica, and east coast historical sites.

Above all, Sally was the glue that held her family together. She was a patient, non-judgmental listener. She was the master organizer of family holidays and outings, ensuring that traditions were honored and decorations were beautifully displayed. She was a fabulous cook; her family continually looked forward to her pastas, salads, comforting soups, and countless desserts—skills she proudly passed down to them.

Sally cultivated deep, lasting friendships in the community through BSU, the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra Board, Community Education Board, PEO, her beloved birthday group, and various card clubs. She always made time for her special friends, and her family fondly kidded her that her birthday celebrations usually managed to last an entire month.

She is survived by her husband Robert (Bob), her sister, Judy Dunlop; her children, Tony (Peggy), David (Roxanne), and Julia (Rob); eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents Julia and Lennox, her brother Lennox Jr, and sister Ellen.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to either the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra or Evergreen Youth & Family Services of Bemidji.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sally Ann Montebello, please visit our floral store.