Sallie Austermann

Sallie Cunning Austermann, 87, of Jaffrey & Peterborough, passed away on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, NH. She was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon on March 2, 1935, the daughter of Thomas and Nancy Cunning.

As the only child of an Air Force Serviceman and State Department official, Sallie moved and traveled extensively in her youth. After leaving Oregon in grade school, she lived in and attended school in places as diverse as Colorado, Texas, California and Panama, among others. Sallie returned to Klamath Falls where she graduated high school before attending Oregon State University. As a member of Gamma Phi sorority, Sallie developed many lifelong friends that continued well after her graduation in 1955.

Sallie began her career in Fashion Merchandise at Macy’s in New York City. Tom and Nancy met Eleanor Shattuck Austermann and George Austermann while living in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. Through this friendship, Sallie was introduced to Donald Austermann, who was also living in NYC.  Sallie and Don married in St. Thomas in 1958 before beginning their careers and starting a family in NYC.

In 1968, they moved to Chappaqua, NY where they raised 3 children, Christopher, Kent and Karen. Sallie enjoyed a successful career in real estate in Chappaqua before she and Don retired to Wilmington, NC in 1999.

During retirement, they enjoyed extensive travel around the world and spent summers at their beloved boathouse on Thorndike Pond in Jaffrey, NH. Sallie was an active member of the First Church of Christ in Jaffrey and season ticket holder to the Peterborough Players. She enjoyed a variety of crafts and hobbies including gourmet cooking, gardening, reading, crochet, and rattan and wicker caning. Sallie especially enjoyed entertaining her lifelong friends, as well as newly formed friendships in the Monadnock Region.

She was predeceased by her husband, Donald J. Austermann, in February of 2009. In 2011, Sallie moved to Peterborough and continued to spend summers at Thorndike.

Sallie is survived by her three children and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in the Summer of 2023 at First Church of Christ. A private family burial will take place in the family plot at the Old Burial Ground in Jaffrey, NH.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sallie’s name to: First Church of Christ, Peterborough Players or Alzheimer’s Society.

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