February 27, 1936 ~ May 4, 2026
Sara “Sally” Hickey, age 90, passed away peacefully in Minneapolis, MN on May 4, 2026. Born to Irvin and Mary Langhoff in Shorewood, WI, Sally attended Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee and Rosemont College in Pennsylvania.
Sally met her soul mate, Paul T. Hickey, through the Vagabond Ski Club and they skied their way across the U.S. and Europe together. They married at St. Robert’s in Shorewood, WI on April 20,1963 and went on to raise six children in Whitefish Bay, WI.
While “Mom” was her favorite title, Sally somehow found time to serve countless hours at St. Monica: teaching catechism, guiding newly engaged couples, and even launching a Habitat for Humanity chapter. She and Paul also supported Somali immigrant families as they settled into life in the U.S., and she shared her love of writing with students at Milwaukee County Jail.
A lifelong lover of ballet, Sally danced through her early adulthood and later turned that passion into two published teen novels about a ballerina. Naturally, her daughters were required to leap and pirouette across the backyard and basement — whether they wanted to or not. Tennis was another of her great joys, and she spent countless hours on the court with kids and grandkids hoping the love of the game might stick. She and Paul taught all six children to ski in Wisconsin and Colorado.
Sally leaves behind a legacy of love, empathy, and selflessness. Her family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care she received at Friendship Village in Minneapolis.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul and is survived by her sister Elizabeth of Edisto Island, SC; her children Joseph (Melissa) of Cottage Grove, WI; Mary (Thomas) of Minneapolis, MN; Peter of Miami, FL; Sara (Gary) of Twin Lakes, WI; Christopher (Shirley) of Silverthorne, CO; Kevin (Barbara) of Denver, CO; and 12 grandchildren.
A visitation will be held Friday, June 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., immediately followed by a Mass of Christian Burial — both at St. Monica Catholic Church (5681 N Santa Monica Blvd, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217). A reception will follow at the church. Sally loved color, and we are sure she is dancing in a brilliant kaleidoscopic in heaven. Feel free to incorporate into your outfit!
In lieu of flowers, please honor Sally with a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).