Sally Christine Pappas, 81, of Woodstock, Georgia, passed away on August 10, 2026, after suffering cardiac arrest while doing yard work at her home. She was born on December 7, 1944, in Flint, Michigan, to Charles and Dorothy Thorpe. Sally was a devoted mother and grandmother who rarely missed one of her daughter's tennis matches or grandchildren's events.

Sally graduated from Central High School in Flint and continued her education at the University of Michigan–Flint. She married the love of her life, William "Bill" Pappas, on February 10, 1973, in New York. Friends of theirs set them up on a blind date because they were both single with children; they married shortly afterward in a "Brady Bunch-type merging of families".

She spent her life in the service industry as a buyer at the Sample Department Store in New York, as a homemaker and caretaker of three children, as a seamstress serving friends and neighbors and as a receptionist for a dermatologist in Marietta, Georgia. Sally loved to share her Michigan heritage and Bill's Greek culture with others through making signature dishes like pasties from Michigan and Greek favorites dolmades, spanakopita and baklava.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 27 years, Bill; her parents, Charles and Dorothy; her brother, Chuck; and her sister, Susan. She is survived by her loving daughter, Kelli (Mike) Michie of Woodstock, Georgia; her two adoring grandchildren, Collin and Carter; her stepchildren, Steve Pappas of Alpharetta, Georgia, and Anne (Beau) Bych of Alpharetta, Georgia; two step-grandchildren, one niece and several Michigan cousins.

In her lifetime Sally was thought of as gregarious and funny. She was a social butterfly who surrounded herself with friends in her groups of bridge, tennis, bowling, Bunco, Hospital Art, Bingo and theater. Sally was a character with little "filter", saying outrageous things to make people laugh. Some of her frequent sayings were "I am mad as a wet hen" or "I didn't just fall off the turnip truck". She never met a stranger and made friends everywhere she went because she could strike up a conversation with anyone. Her talkative nature occasionally got her into trouble, since she could be a little "too friendly" during tennis or bridge matches.

Sally was proud to have lived a long, healthy life with Type 1 diabetes. Among her many honors, she was especially proud of receiving a bronze medal from the Joslin Center for living 50 years with juvenile diabetes, being nominated multiple times for the ALTA Sportsmanship Award, and earning Life Master status in bridge.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Breakthrough T1D at www.Breakthrought1d.org or by calling 1-800-533-CURE (2873). Donations may also be mailed to Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), P.O. Box 5021, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5021. Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay options are available on the website's donation page.