Sarah "Salli" Luoto 1934 - 2023

Sarah J. “Salli” Luoto, 88, of McMinnville, Oregon, died April 16, 2023, in McMinnville. She was born in ‎McMinnville to Lee and Hazel King. Salli was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Luoto; and ‎her son, JC Luoto. Salli is survived by her son, Deric Luoto (Molly) of Goodyear, Arizona; her ‎grandson, Jerry “Chris” Luoto (Jennifer Parker) of Coquille, Oregon; and her granddaughter, Rachel ‎Naujock (Derek) of Lake Oswego, Oregon. ‎

Salli graduated in 1953 from McMinnville High School, where she excelled in swimming and ‎rally. While at Mac High, she met and fell in love with her high school sweetheart and star-athlete, ‎Jerry Luoto, who had recently transferred schools from Westport, Oregon.‎

After graduating from Mac High, Salli married Jerry while he was serving with the U.S. Air ‎Force. While serving in the U.S. Air Force and stationed at March Air Force Base in ‎Riverside, California, Salli and Jerry had their first son, JC Luoto, in 1958. After leaving the Air Force, ‎Salli and Jerry returned to McMinnville, where Jerry began his studies at Linfield College. While ‎at Linfield, Salli and Jerry had their second son, Deric, in 1962. During her time at Linfield, Salli ‎ended up receiving her honorary “Ph.T”…that is, “Put Hubby Through” degree. A degree well-‎deserved with hard work and determination.‎

Upon Salli and Jerry receiving their degrees from Linfield, the family of four moved to the small ‎southwestern Oregon community of Coquille, Oregon. There they made their home from 1965 until ‎Jerry’s passing in 2013. Salli was a homemaker and was also very active in her church ‎community, in the civic arena working on the Coos County election board, as well various ‎philanthropic organizations while living there. She entered the workforce as an interior decorator ‎when her sons were both attending Linfield College in the early 1980s. After Jerry’s passing in ‎‎2013, she returned to her hometown of McMinnville, where she reconnected with many of her ‎high school friends, and met many new friends at Hillside Manor, where she resided until her ‎recent passing.‎