Sally Ann Hepler,74, formerly of Santa Fe, NM, died peacefully at 4:25 a.m. Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at Peabody Retirement Community.

Sally was born on December 31, 1948, in Springfield, Vermont, to the late Lawrence and Pauline (Putnam) Oliver. She graduated from Marlboro High School in Marlboro, NH in 1966. Her formal education includes airline school, years of study at the University of New Hampshire, University of Connecticut, Fairfield University, and finally the College of Santa Fe where she received her B.A. Sally married Donald Michael Lilly in June 1968 and they had one child together, Christopher. While they both went on to remarry, they remained in touch throughout their lives. She married Charles David Hepler in December 1983.

After an early career in the airline industry, Sally worked at Yankee Magazine, Pepsi Corporation, and then started her own interior decorating business. In 1988 she and her husband moved to Santa Fe New Mexico, where she developed a passion for sculpting with metals.

Hepler's award-winning work has been included in numerous exhibitions throughout the United States, including The Palm Springs Desert Museum; the PBS Annual Art Exhibit, KRMA TV in Denver, CO; International Expo 2000 in Miami, FL; the Albuquerque United Artists Exhibit (Best of Show) 1998; and the Los Alamos County 4-State Sculpture Competitions where she received First Place in 1996 and Honorable Mention in 1995. She is represented internationally in many public and private collections including the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ; Gary Glenn Architects, Inc., St. Louis, MO; Sea Gate Technologies, Singapore; the Sierra Group, Inc., Monona, WI; and Trust Investments, Palm Beach, FL, to name a few.

She is survived by her son Christopher (Jennifer) Lilly of Columbia City; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild; a brother Larrry Oliver of NH; and sisters, Marie (Keith) Applin of Phoenix, AZ, Rosemary (Joseph) Rose of Bellaire, MD, Kate (Richard) Lane and Jean (Scott) Butler both of NH. Sally was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband Charles Hepler.

Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.