Obituary of Sarah Rickards

Rickards, Sarah (Sally) M., 92 died peacefully, at home, with her loving family by her side on December 5, 2023, in Villas, New Jersey. Born in Philadelphia, PA in 1931, she was the daughter of the late Joseph H. and Anna Marie Thornton, and the beloved wife of the late Richard H. Rickards. She graduated from Cape May High School in 1949. Sally became the first member of her family to attend college after enrolling in Gwynedd-Mercy College founded by the Sisters of Mercy, today Gwynedd-Mercy University, where she studied nursing. She was married in 1951 and became the mother of six children. While raising her family, she pursued a career in nursing at Misericordia Hospital in West Philadelphia, a teaching hospital for nurses today part of Penn Medicine. After moving to Pennsauken, NJ in 1953, Sally continued her nursing career at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ. She retired from nursing in 1961 to devote her time to raising her growing family. In 1963, her family moved to Villas, NJ where Sally began a second career in public service and politics. She was an active member of the Women's Regular Republican Club of Villas, and a committee member of the Cape May County Republican Committee. She was a delegate for the State of New Jersey at the 1996 Republican Presidential nominating convention in San Diego, CA. In addition to her political work, Sally was the Principal Field Representative for the State of New Jersey Rental Assistance Program for over 21 years where she assisted thousands of eligible recipients to obtain affordable housing in premises that met high standards of safety and cleanliness. Sally was later appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Woodbine Development Center, which serves those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sally was a devoted traveler with trips to Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Mexico, St. Croix, and most of the fifty United States. She was a lifelong fisherman and active member of the Villas Fishing Club. Sally was a devout Catholic and a longstanding member of the choir at The Church of St. Raymond in the Villas, part of the Parish of St. John Neumann. Sally was predeceased by her seven siblings, Joseph Thornton, Anne M. Borek, Helen Witts, William Thornton, Jean McNamee, Charles R. Thornton, and John Thornton. She is survived by her six children, James Rickards of Portsmouth, NH, Glen Rickards of Villas, NJ, Wayne Rickards of Odessa, WA, Keith Rickards of Seattle, WA, Diane Rickards of Villas, NJ, and Eric Rickards of Cape May Court House, NJ; and by 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. There will be a viewing at Evoy Funeral Home, 3218 Bayshore Rd., North Cape May, NJ, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm on Sunday, December 10th, and a separate viewing from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Monday, December 11th, with a mass of Christian burial afterwards at the parish of St. John Neumann, Church of St. Raymond, 800 Bayshore Rd., Villas, NJ. The internment will be immediately after, at Cape May County Veterans Cemetery, in Cape May Court House, NJ, and is open to all. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html