Sarah (Sally) Foord-Kelcey

I worked with Sally many years ago in Iran, lost touch and then fortuitously reconnected. Sally had many wonderful talents: most of all I will always fondly recall her inimitable sense of style.
With love and sympathy to Joe and all her family at this difficult time.

My deepest sympathy to Joe and all of Sally's family and friends. I was shocked to hear of her passing.
A lovely lady.

I send my deepest sympathy to Sally’s family. You will miss her greatly. I met Sally fleetingly over the years and in recent years got to know her and Joe via dinners at Charlotte’s house in Oxford. They were a friendly, wise and interesting couple and always great fun to be with. Sally was gentle empathetic and witty and she will be well remembered with great fondness and love.

We only met Sally a few times over the years, but she made a great impact on us. She was the most wonderful, open, intelligent and friendly person, and the happiness and love between her and Joe was beautiful. It was a privilege to have known her. Our deepest sympathy to Joe and Alexander, and to Sally's family. Joe, we look forward to seeing you very soon.
With love, Michael and Liz

Sally was such a wonderful, kind person, and this has come far too soon and too suddenly. We're so happy that we got to spend time together in San Francisco when Joe and Sally visited during their big USA adventure. We have such good memories of that trip, as well as many others in France at our wedding, and in Joe and Sally's amazing home in Dublin. Joe, we look forward to seeing you soon, and send all our love.

sally came to help me in my garden, and then we became friends and Joe and Sally’s
Visits were a delight and l had expected many more.she was Avery special person and Julian and l have been deeply shocked..

We are both sad and happy to join so many others here in expressing our condolences to Joe and Sally's other relatives on the occasion of Sally's all-too-sudden death. We only got to know Sally and Joe in recent years through my sister Charlotte Ward-Perkins and through mutual Trinity friends at social occasions in Dublin and Oxford, but we soon learnt what good friends they were. May Sally rest in peace. We look forward to meeting up with you, Joe, when COVID regulations permit, and in the meantime you will be in our thoughts.

Sally went too soon, much too soon, and we'll miss not having her part of our lives. We always enjoyed her Gubbadambo visual diary of interesting things that caught her eye, coupled with her wry commentary on life. She has been a long time loyal friend from Trinity onwards. We last saw her and Joe at the Connemara cottage, followed by a virtual pub crawl during lockdown.. We send our condolences and love to Joe and her family at this very sad time.

Sally's friendship was a rare gift which I will always treasure.

Everybody liked Sally: who could not be drawn to her charm and her extraordinary ability to make you feel welcome in her life? She was interesting and interested, accomplished and encouraging, special in so many ways, too numerous to write here.
I am proud to have been her friend for so long, some 52 years. As I look back and remember silly details of the friendship we had from adventuring to zooming and so many points between, I know how important she was, how much I loved her.
Sally, I will cherish those memories and miss you beyond saying. My sadness runs deeper than I might have imagined.
I send my condolences to all her family, and to Joe.
Farewell, my very dear friend

Feisty, funny, stylish and hugely talented, Sally was always a great companion and a good friend. We shared many laughter-filled lunches when Sally worked on my little garden which is a lasting reminder of her skill and creativity.
Thinking of Jo and Sally’s family at this sad time.

Sally is such an important person to me, giving me my first job at OUP, and so the reason for my life in Oxford....She was joyful.. clever, funny, kind, sensitive, practical...a Life-Enhancer.... I will miss her enormously....

I was so sad to hear of Sally's death. A wonderfully warm, wise and uplifting person to be around.
My deepest sympathy to Joe and Sally's family.

I was deeply saddened to hear of Sally’s death. We spent time together in Oxford in the late 1970s and 1980s, sharing many meals and picnics. We met again a few years ago and I was delighted to once again enjoy her enormous warmth and sense of humour. I send my condolences to Joe and all Sally’s family. Sheila Nasta

Sending our deepest sympathy to Joe and all Sally's family for their heart-breaking loss. Sally was such a very special person - talented, warm, kind and funny. We will be with you in spirit and online tomorrow to say goodbye to someone we will never forget.

Unlike so many of Sally's old friends we were only just getting to know her and Joe in the last couple of years but truly hoped to see more of them as time went by. When they delivered a card just before Christmas and due to Covid restrictions we could only chat and laugh at the door, little did we imagine this would be the last time we would see her. What a delightful person Sally was, we are so pleased to have known her, even briefly. To Joe, our deepest sympathy and thoughts. Suzanne and Paddi

Much loved and already much missed. Sally has been a loyal friend and wise counsellor from student days. Natural curiosity, humour and quick wits made her an excellent companion whose conversation could range from the sublime to the ridiculous. It was always an absolute pleasure to spend time with her and a joy to see her together with Joe. Our thoughts are with him, Cherry, Toby, Jeremy, Ollie and their families. Love from Sheila, Tim, Cassie (to whom Sally was a fabulous godmother) and Jessie.

Sally’s untimely death is such a shock and loss.
I first met her and Charlie in 1979, at OUP. She seemed then rather grown-up and sophisticated. And she remained ageless. She brought then (and always) an astute capability to any enterprise, whether publishing, gardening or chair covering, and a stylish, exotic element to all fun proceedings, whether punting picnics (40 years ago) or Lockdown dinners with hot-water bottles in freezing (only three months ago...!). Over the decades we shared a love of Connemara, family coping strategies, chocolate cake recipes and competitive WhatsApp flower photos.
Sally dealt with life’s tragedies and obstacles with practical intelligence, humour and tenacity. She could be a formidable opponent with an acerbic wit but also a sensitive negotiator. She never undervalued other people but brought out the best in them. She could have been a CEO or director of the National Gallery. But I believe she chose use her many gifts to prioritise personal relationships.
Sally showed me what was most important in life, and how to enjoy it. Always with the utmost grace.
A few years ago I had a memorable (and bitterly cold) walk with Sally and Joe, along the South Wall. And I will always think of her swimming in Dublin Bay, and, fearlessly and gracefully, exploring the sea beyond.
Carpe diem.

We had the privilege of meeting Joe and Sally a few times in recent years and were struck by what great company they were and were looking forward to times ahead. We are deeply saddened to hear of Sally’s passing and send our sincere thoughts and sympathy to Joe and family. Don and Cath

Sally was the kind of person who was a good listener with great practical advice. She could turn dull times into sunny days. She always managed to to see the bright side of unhappy events. She was wonderful for my brother Joe. We will all miss her.

Such devastating news. I met Sally again after many years at Bruce & Ana's wedding in Coleraine. She was so vibrant, so full of life. I was so looking forward to meeting up again next time I was in Dublin. I can believe she has gone. My heart goes out to Joe.

My dear Sally, you were such a tower of strength & joy when we last met in person at Nikki's memorial Service in Dublin, & have been such a joyful presence in my on-line life since. Your vivacity & eternal grace will be absolutely missed: one day your friends will be able gather again to speak of the gifts you have shared over the years, since those far off, magical, Trinity days. xox

So very sad to hear of the untimely passing of Sally. I have had the honour of growing up with Sally as my mum's friend, she was a wonderful and exceptionally kind, full of life, laughter and kindness. I will always remember the good times in the summer, sat in the garden and wandering by the river in Oxford, a true light and one of a kind.. All my love, Florence

I was so very sad to hear of Sally’s death. She gave me my first job in ELT at OUP in 1988, and I’m still there today – I have always been grateful that she gave me that opportunity and taught me so much about illustrations and photography over the next few years. She was such a talented, creative, and gifted person, always full of energy and ideas. In 2005, when I was being treated for cancer, she came and gave my front garden a makeover. I will always remember her when I look out of my bedroom window at the lovely trees she planted there. My sincere condolences to Joe and to Sally’s family.

Sally and I first met when we were five years old on our first day at school. I remember thinking how nice she was, and I hoped she would be my friend. Sixty seven years later I am now mourning the loss of a wonderful friend who has been a really important person in my life. Thank you Sally for all the fun and interesting times we've had over the years and for being such a good friend. Rest in peace.

My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sally Foord- Kelcey on her untimely death. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam

Our hearts go out to all of Sally's family and friends. Wherever she went she created such great delight by the warmth of her personality. She will be very sadly missed and we can only hope that, eventually, the memory of happier times with Sally will bring a measure of consolation. Stephen and Louisa

We first met Sally and Joe less than a decade ago and met infrequently after that -- but it was such a pleasure to have made their acquaintance. Sally inspired me to become a winter swimmer, long before it became fashionable; post-swim lunches with her and Joe were always full of interesting chat about their adventures at home and abroad, their excitement about the amazing upside down copper home in Ranelagh Joe designed. Her death is a very sad loss. All our condolences to Joe and to Sally's family
Fran O'Rourke & Joe Joyce

Very saddened by the news of Sally’s sudden death. What a lovely lady she was. We were so pleased to renew our acquaintance with her and Joe in the last few years having not seen them since the trinity days. Our thoughts are with Joe’ and her family

I never got very far in the etiquette book and I'm not very good at convention so I'm just going to say things my own way. Sally was brilliant - funny, friendly and affectionate. Intelligent too - someone with whom you could have "a useful exchange of views". In plain English she was good company. She was also supportive of those around her. She was super supportive of my brother at a time when he needed it most - a superb escort fighter, a veritable P51 if you're stuck in WW2 metaphors - beautiful, capable, powerful and long-range. The plane wasn't too bad either.
That's all folks.
Bye Sally - I'll be thinking of you many years from now .......

With pencil, paintbrush or trowel, Sally was creative to a degree the rest of us could only sit back and admire. She was also constant, in the best sense of that word. As the intervals between seeing her grew from every few days to several years, you knew Sally would always be warm and welcoming. It was a privilege to know her. My sincerest condolences to Joe and the family.

Sally was an absolute star when we were all at Trinity in Dublin together and we looked on her as the embodiment of charm with all the grace of her gifted and independent spirit. I'm not sure we understood how talented and independent she really was back then, but meeting her again with my very old friend Joe in recent years was a huge joy and a virtual demonstration that 'everything's going to be alright'. But everything is not alright if we can lose such a person and we can only seek consolation in the fact that she was with us. I want to offer my most heart-felt condolences to my brilliant, imaginative friend Joe and all of those she loved and who loved her. It seems a star has gone out but I am sure it is still shining there, if not in another world certainly in all our hearts.

I still can't believe Sally has gone. She was such a force of nature in a positive way - funny, laughing, bright, bubbly, cultured, interested in the world and a great gardener. Able to bring people together and bind them to her. Our sincere condolences to Joseph, Cherry, Toby and everyone in her cycle. We will miss her. Best wishes to you all. Liz, Eddy and Oliver

Sally has been my friend for near-on four decades. Gifted, inspirational, funny and faithful, a wonderful colleague and a constant source of wisdom and support. I really cannot imagine the world without her. Am about to plant a rose in her honour. We send love and prayers to Joe and to Cherry and all the family. Will definitely be attending her funeral and when the time is appropriate, hope for a celebration of her life, full of colour and joy.

I’m so sad to hear of Sally’s death. She was such good company; so full of life, wisdom and humour. I always felt warmed in her presence, as being with the best people always makes one feel. I’m sad that life events meant I didn’t keep in touch in recent years as well as I should have done but I hope Joe will be able to maintain his own life with the wonderful memories of a unique companion. May her lovely, cherished soul rest in peace xx

I have known Sally almost my whole adult life and adjusting to her sudden absence is going to be very hard. Only a few weeks ago, we were walking around Christ Church Meadow, talking about getting rid of moths and re-enamelling an antique bath. It isn't possible to sum a person up. A light the size of a constellation has gone out. Sally will always be greatly missed.

Awfully sorry to hear about Sally's untimely death. She seemed in excellent spirits only a few weeks ago. She was super bright, super fun and super talented. What a loss.

Our deepest sympathy to her family on Sally's death. She was a lovely lady. May her gentle soul rest in peace.

We send you our heartfelt sympathies for the loss of dearest Sally. She was my mentor at an important time of my life and she set me on the right path. Kind, so funny and completely original we shall miss her so much. We will be honoured to participate in Sally’s funeral online. Love Helena and Jerry