Sally Cormier, 1945–2026, loving mother and grandmother

Sally A. (McKenzie) Cormier, recently of Framingham, a former lifelong Waltham resident, died Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. She was 80.

Sally was born in Waltham on May 28, 1945. While still teens she met her husband, Arthur R. ‘Artie’ Cormier, and the pair courted for nine years before marrying on May 8, 1971 in Our Lady’s Church in Waltham. They were inseparable best friends and would have celebrated their fifty-fifth wedding anniversary this month. Artie died on Feb. 20 of this year; their time apart was short.

Following her graduation from Waltham High School, she attended and graduated from Chandler Secretarial School in Boston. Before having children, she worked as a secretary at Volkswagen and as a chambermaid at a Waltham motel. When her children were little, she cared for them full time. Later she worked for several years as a deputy tax collector for the City of Waltham, a part-time job that allowed her to work from home and earn some extra money for the family.

Sally was a devoted wife, mother, sister and “Nana.” While her husband worked long hours, Sally was home with their two children Artie Jr. and Holly. She effortlessly did all the countless things mothers do – the quiet, often overlooked acts of care and love that hold a family together. She took immense pride in caring for her children and keeping the home beautiful. She loved the addition of her daughter-in-law Julie-Ann and son-in-law Ron to the family and especially loved her four grandchildren.

Family was everything to Sally. She loved her sister, Joy, and her husband, John. She would often reminiscence about the fun times she and Joy shared growing up on Trapelo Road in Waltham. In her younger years, Sally sometimes babysat Joy’s children, Jill, Jack, and Judy, and later even helped watch their children at different times. She also, together with her husband, helped care for her grandchildren, particularly her two granddaughters when they were under four.

Aside from the family home on Lord Street, Sally’s favorite place was Hampton Beach. She grew up vacationing there with her parents and her sister Joy. She and her husband took their children there every summer, and when the grandchildren came, the tradition continued with grandparents, children and grandchildren all going together every year.

Sally leaves her children, Arthur R. Cormier, Jr. (Julie-Ann) of Weymouth and Holly E. Soulliard (Ronald) of Framingham; her grandchildren, Olivia and Owen Cormier and Allison and Matthew Soulliard; her sister, Joy Clark (John) of Southborough; her siblings-in-law Peter Charbonneau of Royalston, Mary-Anne Bennett (Austin) of Pelham, NH, Lorraine Dowcett (late Frederick) of Waltham, Joan Utley (late Timothy) of Hudson, Patricia Donahue (Richard Fura) of Attleboro, Linda Trainor (James) of Reading, Laura Flaherty (Wayne) of Waltham, Ann Foucher (Robert) of Waltham and Jerome Cormier (Maria Melaxroinou) of Warwick, RI; and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.

In addition to her husband Artie, she was predeceased by her parents, Daniel and Helen (Dacey) McKenzie, and her siblings-in law Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Charbonneau, Margaret ‘Peggy’ Jigarjian (late Charles), and Michael Cormier.

Family and friends will honor and remember Sally’s life by gathering for an evening wake in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Wednesday, May 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.