06/12/2025
It is with great sadness we share with you that our mother passed away. Read below about our amazing mom and if you have an interest in attending her “Celebration of Life, please respond with your email and we will send you details. The event will be in Rockwall on June 28th.
Sally R. Ashbacher took Jesus’ hand on the morning of June 10th 2025 to continue her State Fair award-winning quilting life in Heaven with an endless assortment of the most amazing patterns, fabrics and threads she could ever dream of. And a really GREAT teacher too!
A few comments from her many students were: “Sally’s quilts are proof God loves to quilt, too”; “Sally is the BEST teacher and Quilter! QUALITY!!”; and “I just love Sally and her fabulous work. She taught me back basted applique and how to have fun with quilting. What a gal!”
She was born in Chicago on March 1,1937 to David & Ruth Redman. She married John Furlong in June 1957 and moved to Orland Park and Downers Grove. They raised 3 incredibly independent kids: Patty (Furlong), Susan (Tierney) and John (Furlong) who gave her immense pride over the years along with 7 grand kids: Kristine Tanner, Michael Furlong, Jayme Langlet, Lisa Maidenberg, Dory Fier, Morgan Fecher, Ryan Tierney, and 10 great grandkids: James, Kate, Henry, Olivia, Ethan, Danny, Crew, Valerie, Tate and Blake.
Elmer Ashbacher was her second husband who brought her to Texas in July 1982. Together they ruled roadways with Ranger Trucking for 30+ years. Although her gift of gab and storytelling started long before, it was her trucker clients who helped refine her “zingers” that became such a big part of her charming personality.
And then there is Bill Mathews, whose charm and gentlemen-like love for her, changed her life at a time and age she never imagined happening. “He is such a winner! Everyone should be as lucky as I am ‘cause I am in hog Heaven every day. After being a widow for 12 plus years, I can’t believe I’m up to my ears in new stuff with him and I’m loving every minute of it!”
Her real gift and passion in life was quilting and she took it to a level few have ever enjoyed. She LOVED her friends at Casual Corners, Career Image, the Blue Ribbon Quilt Shoppe and so many other wonderfully creative places. A few of her favorite sayings were “My nose is to the needle so gather your friends and scraps; I will come teach it to ya’a”.” . . . “Come see my one woman show, it’s not to be missed!”. . . “What’s under your needle today?” . . . and “I’ve been fondling my fabric all day”.
“Sally Jr” (aka her oldest granddaughter Kristine) said “Thank you for teaching me what it means to embrace and encourage one’s creative side. I vividly remember making quilts with you in elementary school and you cheering me on every step of the way. Looking back on those same quilts, the colors never went together, the patterns were terrible, but you made me feel like I was a master. Because of you, I am a better mom to my kids, encouraging and cheering them on like you did me “
The ripple impact of her passion for quilting extended across Texas and into Oklahoma and Missouri where for 25+ years, the “Bus Mom” organized and hosted Sally’s Quilting Bus Trips for 50+ enthusiasts every year, even as recently as last year at the age of 87. “Sally’s trips are the BEST. Started on my bucket list years ago and been coming ever since.”
A true testament to her charismatic personality and the positive impact Sally had on others was realized by her love Bill who would comment “Everywhere we go (and likely in Heaven today), someone would recognize her and say Thank you for teaching me how to quilt.”
Your legacy, Sally, will live on in the beautiful quilts you gifted all of us and the people you taught how to quilt who are, in turn, teaching generations to come your State Fair winning ways.
