Sarah Jean ‘Sally’ Willson Weber

Sarah Jean “Sally” Willson Weber peacefully passed from this life on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, at her home in Des Moines, surrounded by her beloved family. Sally was born June 26, 1940, in Charles City, Iowa to Elbert Lane Willson and Jean Ellen Smith Willson.

After graduating from Charles City High School in 1958, Sally attended William Woods College and graduated in 1960 with an associate degree. In 1960 Sally enrolled at the University of Iowa where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi. Sally’s first marriage in 1961 to Dr. Braden Stevenson blessed Sally with four children and time spent living in Oklahoma, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Waterloo. This marriage ended in divorce. In 1973 Sally returned to college, graduating in 1975 from the University of Northern Iowa. It was in Waterloo that Sally began her lifelong commitment to philanthropy. She was an active member of P.E.O. and a supporter of KUNI, IPTV, and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony.

In 1978 Sally married B. Stewart Haas. Sally and Stew shared adventures and friends in all of the places they called home: Cedar Falls; Cedar Rapids; Rock Hill, South Carolina; and Seabrook Island, South Carolina. While at Seabrook she continued her community involvement serving on the Board of Seabrook Island Conservancy. After Stew’s death in 1999 Sally remained in the home she and Stew built at Seabrook until her return to Des Moines in 2012. It was in Des Moines that Sally met and fell in love with Bob, her stockman from Nebraska. Sally was united in marriage to Robert Dean Weber on December 12, 2015, at Plymouth Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Sally and Bob shared time between their homes in Des Moines and in Friend, Nebraska.

Sally relished java chip ice cream and sipping a good Manhattan (not at the same time), loved to read all types of books, and was an avid newspaper reader. She enjoyed flowers and found it difficult to pass up a great museum or shop where she could satisfy her passion for art, shoes and purses. She traveled extensively and arranged for individual European trips with each of her adult children.

Sally is survived by her beloved husband Bob, her four children and their spouses: Rebecca Taylor of Austin, TX; Peter (Barbara Bremner) Stevenson of Des Moines, IA; Elisabeth (Bob) Reynoldson of Osceola, IA; and Sarah (Jeff) Smith of St. Louis, MO; and her sister Jan (Bruce) Clough of Denver, CO. Sally is also survived by her three step-sons: John (Shannon) Weber of Bozeman, MT; Joel (Amy) Weber of Dorchester, NE; and Douglas (Christi) Weber of Bozeman, MT.

Sally is survived by the grandchildren who were the joy of her life and center of her world: Daniel (Logan) Taylor of Austin, TX; Gabriel and Xavier Stevenson of Des Moines, IA; Tyson Reynoldson of Ankeny, IA; Michael (Grace) Reynoldson of Hershey, PA; Samuel and John Reynoldson of Osceola, IA; Alex and Carson Smith of St. Louis, MO; Christian, Jacob, and Sophia Weber of Dorchester, NE; Miles and Harrison Weber of Bozeman, MT; and great-grandchildren, Brady and Beau Reynoldson of Hershey, PA.

Sally was preceded in death by her parents Eb and Jean Willson, husband B. Stewart Haas, and grandson Nicholas Smith.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday, Feb. 19th at 1:30 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines. An ice cream social reception will follow in the church’s Waveland Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Plymouth Congregational Church Foundation or the University of Northern Iowa Foundation.