Rev. Sally Perkins Poland

Rev. Sally Perkins Poland 1933-2019

Portland- Rev. Sally Perkins Poland (86) died on November 29, 2019 after a long, rewarding, and joyful life. She was born Sally Ann Perkins in Winchester, Massachusetts, the first child of Edith W. Perkins and Walter F. Perkins. Sally attended schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, graduating from Natick High School in Natick, MA. She graduated from Bates College in 1955 with a BA in English Literature which, she would joke, qualified her for nothing in the line of gainful employment. A summer crash course in what was then Southern Connecticut Teachers College led to a job teaching primary grades in Hamden, CT. Although she greatly enjoyed teaching, the school required her to stop after three years when she became pregnant with her first child.

Over the next decade, Sally became the mother of four children. When her husband, Lloyd, received the call to ministry in 1972, Sally packed up the kids, the dog, and whatever else they could fit into their VW bus and a small U-Haul and they were off to Bangor Theological Seminary. While he went to school and served in a succession of small student churches, Sally functioned happily as a minister's wife. Throughout those seven years, she also worked full time, raised their children, and edited and typed all of Lloyd's schoolwork. She then decided to attend Bangor Theological Seminary. Sally was awarded her MDiv in 1982 and was ordained into the United Methodist Church in 1985.

Sally served for four years as the associate minister at Pleasant Street United Methodist Church in Waterville and then for 13 years as the minister at the West Scarborough United Methodist Church. She retired in 1999 but quickly took up a part time position as the minister at West Baldwin United Methodist Church. She then served several interim appointments and continued preaching well into her eighties. For several years after she retired, Sally also managed Books Revisited, a used book store in Old Orchard Beach, the proceeds of which benefited the Hospice Program.

In 1992, Sally married Ted Poland, also a United Methodist minister. Together they enjoyed camping, the theater, concerts, and travel in this country and abroad. In their retirement, Ted and Sally found themselves increasingly drawn to the Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Portland, first with Ted's singing in the choir and later by the more traditional worship and more liberal theology. Ocean Park, with its Temple worship and other varied activities, has been their summer church home.

At every stage of her life, Sally was an omnivorous reader, ardent Democrat, and advocate for a variety of peace and justice issues. Sally's enthusiasm for life was infectious. In the words of her youngest child, "She taught us to value a good book over matching furniture, to rejoice in finding the first pussy willows of spring, and to never stop fighting the good fight."

Sally is survived by her husband, Rev. Theodore (Ted) Poland of Portland, her children, Lloyd V.(Vern) Leeman, Jr. (Janelle) of Bangor, Jennifer Leeman (Tom Munk) of Chapel Hill, NC, Rebecca Leeman (Wendy West) of Portland, and Kathryn (Kate) Leeman (Susan Burgess) of Athens, OH and Chicago. She also leaves behind her grandchildren – Vern's children: Jessica Hewes (Eddie), Brittany Leeman, Nicholas Leeman, and their mother, Lori Leeman Slowikowski; Jennifer's children: Samuel Leeman-Munk, and Rachel Leeman-Munk; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Morgan; her sister, Dorothy W. Perkins of San Francisco; and the father of her children, Rev. Lloyd V. Leeman, Sr. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, David B. Perkins.

A celebration of Sally's life will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 2:00 PM at St. Luke's Cathedral Church, 143 State St. Portland.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Sally by donating your time, your talents, or your treasure to fighting the good fight for justice and equality.

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