SARAH "SALLY" WEBSTER COYNER

Sarah “Sally” Coyner passed away December 28, 2025 at the Paradise Creek Skilled Nursing Home in Moscow. She was 79. Born May 9, 1946 in Marlinton, WV to Georgette “Gette” Strider and L.N. “Berry” Coyner, Sally was 3 pounds at birth, but clearly a fighter in a time of no NICU units in Appalachia. She joined a brother, Julius “Jack” Coyner. Their parents ran a country store in Clover Lick WV, where Berry was also the postmaster.

By the time she was nearly two, Sally’s mother Gette died, and Berry died two years later. Sally and Jack were then adopted by their aunt and uncle, Louise and Murray Brown, joining cousins Kim and Mary Ligon, in a household in Nashville TN. Dr. Murray Brown was in the first class graduating from the University of Virginia Medical School, and after a short stint in private practice, he was recruited to the newly evolving National Institutes of Health in Bethesda MD. It was there that Sally spent her growing up years, with the family spending summers in West Virginia. She graduated from Walter Johnson High School, earned her AA from Greenbrier College in Lewisburg WV, then attended Temple Business School.

In 1968, Sally joined Harker Preparatory School in Potomac MD, working in administration with the headmaster, faculty and students. On occasion, she traveled overseas on student trips to various European destinations. The school closed in 1994, and Sally picked up various temporary jobs in the Washington DC area, where she’d lived most of her life.

An avid crafter, Sally was attracted to sewing, crocheting, beading and making Christmas ornaments. She was also famed for making dog biscuits, a hobby she enjoyed as she raised golden retrievers Mason and Git-r.

In the summer of 2020, as Covid wreaked havoc on the country, Sally relocated to Potlatch ID to be close to her brother Jack and sister-in-law Barbara. She made a nice group of friends at her apartment building and enjoyed spoiling the dogs living there. She also enjoyed weekly shopping trips and medical appointments with Barbara. The two had a special relationship of laughter, eating egg rolls at Red Bento, visiting the WSU grizzlies and picnicking in East City Park in Moscow. They were devoted thrift store addicts, while Sally and her brother enjoyed watching golf.

Sally is survived by Jack and Barbara Coyner of Princeton, nieces Clover Cameron (Stephen) of Trout Lake WA, Libby Coyner (Shepherd) of Holyoke MA, Ian Dugger of Charlottesville VA, Chris Dugger of Palm Beach FL, John McIlhenny (Sara) of Orlando and William (Tom) McIlhenny of Roanoke VA, and lifelong friends Stoney and Christy Richards of Frederick MD.

The family especially thanks Sally’s friends at White Pine Manor, as well as Skyler Worthington and the staff at the Potlatch Clinic, the Potlatch ambulance crew and Dr. Midence and staff at the St. Joseph’s Blood and Cancer Center.

Kramer Funeral Home, Palouse, WA is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.kramercares.com

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