Obituary of Sarah Louise Warner

Sarah (Sally) Louise Smith Warner With great sadness, we share the news that the indomitable Sally Warner died peacefully in her sleep November 8th, 2022, after a brief but acute illness that proved to be too much even for her to overcome. Sally was born and raised in Lake Placid, graduating from high school in 1954. A superb ski racer, she won both slalom and downhill events her senior year Winter Carnival, as well as being named Queen, and won the New York State Ski Championship the next day. This led her to compete at the National Juniors event in Jackson Hole, where she placed 7th in slalom for the Nation but rather than continue with competitive ski racing, she chose the academic path and off she went to college. At the University of Colorado, Boulder, Sally graduated in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in history. It is here that she also met her future husband, Mark. After graduation, Mark spent time in the Navy, where they traveled and were stationed at various naval bases in the United States. During this time, their two children were born, and once the naval tour was over, they settled back in Lake Placid in 1968. For nearly 30 years, Sally devoted herself to educating children in Lake Placid and the surrounding communities. She taught at the Lake Placid Elementary School for 10 years as a third-grade teacher, Saranac Lake Public School for 6 years, North Country School for 11 years, and North Country Community College for 1 year. While at North Country School (NCS), she was also the Admissions Director and helped to spread the word about the value and beauty of NCS and Lake Placid to children from all over the world. Many former students have repeatedly commented on how Sally was their favorite teacher and the impact she had on shaping their own life journey. Her love for teaching continued in other areas as well; Sally taught downhill skiing at both Whiteface and Scotts Cobble, and in her later years taught cross-country skiing at the Cascade Ski Touring Center. She also became a Life Master at bridge and started Better Bridge with Sally, bringing her love and enthusiasm for bridge to dozens of students. In addition to teaching, Sally had a thirst for civic responsibility, perhaps following in the footsteps of her father (Favor Smith Sr, 20 years on the town board and treasurer of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games). Sally became Town Councilwoman from 1996 to 2008, where she took the needs of the people to heart, helping to ban jet skis from Mirror Lake and saying "no" to Walmart coming into the village. She was also influential in establishing a brick walkway around Mirror Lake, reflecting the needs of many to have a recreational path for locals and visitors alike. In addition to her role as councilwoman, Sally was also a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club and the Business and Professional Women's group, and she was named Businesswoman of the Year in 2002. She was vestry of the Episcopal Church and a member of the Garden Club, Hospice, and Mercy Care. In addition, she volunteered for years at local events, particularly those at the Olympic Arena and the ski jumps. Perhaps one of her greatest accomplishments in her later years was owning her own tour business, See the Sights with Sally. Her tour business ran for 12 years, and it was through this new venture that she was really able to bring her love of the Adirondacks and Lake Placid to those who visited. Her passion came through as she took delight in researching places to see that were not always obvious to the casual tourist. For example, she would take people to Kate Smith's grave and even if you didn't know who Kate was, Sally could share stories that would make you feel like Kate was your long-lost friend. Hundreds of bus tours and individuals alike repeatedly called upon Sally to provide an overview of the area to them. Some even called her "Mrs. Ambassador" to Lake Placid. Her passion for the area helped her at the Lake Placid History Museum, where she was a docent for 12 years. The two jobs were a perfect combination from a historical perspective, but Sally also had a flair for creating that most perfect tour. One of her more famous clients was Mike Emrick, announcer for the New York Rangers. Every year, Sally would create a more spectacular tour than the prior year and was able to convince lots of local businesses to help delight Mike and his wife. We would be remiss if we didn't mention Sally's love of sports, and we cannot overstake her competitive nature! In addition to skiing, she was an avid golfer, tennis player, horsewoman, and softball player. She also climbed all 46 peaks and was proud to tell everyone she was number 1400 on the list of 46ers. She also climbed the Matterhorn, canoed the Allagash, visited numerous countries on vacation, and told us many times that she had had a good life. Sally's love and passion for Lake Placid continued into her eighties, where she became a familiar sight at the horseshow grounds, walking several times a day with her dog. She would always remark on the spectacular beauty of the area and how much she loved the air in the Adirondacks. Sally's children were her pride and joy, and she is survived by her son Christopher and his wife Paula (Leland, NC) and their two children, Jennifer (Tampa, FL), and Michael (Arlington, VA); and her daughter Katherine and her husband Tom McQuade (Middlebury, VT). She is also survived by her brother, Favor R. Smith, and his wife Dianne (Lake Placid and Pawley's Island, SC), her sister-in-law Catherine (Sue) Smith and her partner Barrie Ramsey (Lake Placid), and numerous nieces and nephews in Lake Placid, Arizona, Nevada, and California. We are so grateful for her exceptional care at the Elderwood Rehabilitation facility and especially for her final care at the EastView Assisted Living Facility and Hospice in Middlebury, Vermont. Sally also had some fabulous caregivers and friends these past few years and we are so grateful to them for continuing to bring joy into her daily life. When asked about flowers or a memorial in her name, it would be lovely to donate to your local area animal shelter to honor Sally's love for her dogs. A memorial service will be held in Sally's honor at the St. Eustace Episcopal Church in Lake Placid on Saturday, December 3rd at 1:00pm. Please join the family afterwards for a reception at Craig Wood golf and Country Club, Cascade Rd. from 3:00 – 6:00pm. The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid, NY is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com to share a story or leave condolences for Sally's family. .