Sally Eastham (formerly Sally McCarthy) of Monterey, California, a devoted mother, grandmother, teacher, and ocean lover, passed away surrounded by family and friends on November 6, 2025. Born in Marysville, California, she lived a life defined by curiosity, compassion, and courage.

A graduate of UC Davis, she began her life of purpose in Oroville, California, where she married, raised her two children, Stewart Eastham and Abbey Eastham, and discovered her calling as a teacher. For more than 30 years, she shaped young minds in classrooms throughout Oroville and Monterey County, leaving behind generations of students inspired by her kindness, patience, and belief in their potential.

Her greatest pride and joy was her family, and her beloved grandson, Joe Eastham. She poured her heart into motherhood and grandmotherhood, showing up with gentleness, kindness, and unwavering support.

A passionate lover of the ocean, she followed her dream and relocated to Monterey where she built a life grounded in service and community. For decades, she volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium as well as several other local organizations, sharing her love for marine life, conservation, and nature.

Her adventurous spirit was legendary. She skydived for her 50th birthday, climbed the cables up Half Dome at 60, and white-water rafted for her 70th. She traveled to Antarctica to watch whales, journeyed across Africa on a safari, dove into family roots in Ireland, completed the Big Sur 21-miler race, and road-tripped/camped across the United States to Eastern Canada with her grandson. She believed life was meant to be lived fully, and she did so with courage, joy, and wonder.

At home, she was equally extraordinary. She was a listener and a quiet hero in her family and community, known for her selflessness, humility, and the way she always made time for others. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, adventure, and compassion. She will be forever missed by her children Stewart and Abbey, and Abbey’s wife Cara Dinote, her grandson Joe, her sister Merle Nunes, her extended family, dear friends, former students, and all whose lives were brightened by her grace. She is preceded in death by her parents, Kempton and Lorrayne McCarthy.

Per her request, no service will be held, but in her memory, we hope you take time to pause by the ocean, lend a hand to someone who needs it, and say yes to the adventure life offers. That is how she lived, and that is how she would want us to carry her forward.

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