Obituary of Sarah B. Dougan

Sarah B. Dougan, Sally as she was known to everyone, died peacefully on October 6, at the age of 85. She grew up in Tenafly, NJ and Havertown, PA, and later settled in Brooklyn, NY and Clinton, NJ.

Everywhere she went she sparked a smile. She had the deepest fascination with people and history, and that rare ability to see humor in every shadow. A profoundly driven people person, she attended Middlebury College, where she majored in Russian language and European history—a focus that led her to work for Cambridge University Press’s American Branch. It was there that she met her lifelong love, Colin Jones.

Sally was a jewel of the publishing industry. She devoted the first half of her career to the marketing department at Cambridge, but left to take a position at Bert Davis Executive Searches, helping place management and chief officers at top science, engineering, educational, medical and trade publishers, from John Wiley to McGraw Hill, Harper Collins, MIT, Columbia University Press and so many others. She touched many lives. Launched so many careers; and influenced the industry in ways that will reverberate for a generation.

After the passing of her husband, Colin, she retired and turned her “boundless” attention to her passions for charity, books, animals, her garden—the wellspring of much of her unique photographic art (her work was accepted into several publishing organizations, including the Salmagundi Club in New York)—and the Women’s Transition Network (TTN) of New York City, where she was a regular writer and contributor.

Sally was a devoted wife; a loving sister to her late brother, Hugh; an aunt like no other and champion of everyone she met. She is survived by her adoring nephew, Cameron (Ann), her sister-in-law, Jane, her step nieces Elizabeth (George) and Amanda (Tom); their respective children—Eli (Maren), Makayla (Connor), Jonathan, Matt, Leo, Daniel, and Andrew; and her beloved Tasha.

Determined, true, and ever witty; a girl with her Pooh bear at heart—her own woman to the end. A community builder. We will miss her dearly.

Donations may be made to the ASPCA (Please Click Here to Donate) and Best Friends Animal Society (Please Click Here to Donate).

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Thursday, October 10th from 11:00am until 1:00pm at the Martin Funeral Home, located at 1761 Route 31, Clinton NJ 08809. Words of remembrance will begin at 12:30pm during the visitation.