Sarah Ann (Sally) McDavid, 93, died November 19, 2023, having lived a full, successful and joyful life. Until recently, she could be found on mild days in her grandfather’s rocking chair on the screened porch in Belhaven in Jackson, MS where she watched clouds, dog walkers and birds. She loved her view from her world and was thankful.
Sally was born on March 23, 1930, to Blair and Bobbie (nee: Pennington) Samuel. Originally from Talladega, AL, she continued her education at the University of Hawaii where she studied architecture for one year while her father was in military service. From there, she transferred to the University of Alabama where she received her undergraduate degree in journalism. Her first job in her journalism career was at a small weekly newspaper in Jasper, AL, the “Mountain Eagle,” where she did just about everything—including working her way up to Managing Editor.
She furthered her education at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and afterward, went to work at the Birmingham News, before moving on as an investigative reporter for The Item, a daily newspaper in New Orleans. During that period, Sally met her future husband—also a journalist, O.C. McDavid (Mac), who became the Managing Editor of the Jackson Daily News. McDavid, a well-known artist in Mississippi, died in 1998.
Sally McDavid started law school at what was then the Jackson School of Law in 1963, she finished in three years, passed the bar on her first attempt and then got a job as a law clerk with the Mississippi Supreme Court. She was the first woman to hold the position.
After clerking, she joined the law firm of Hedgepeth and Hedgepeth in Jackson as an associate in 1967. In 1970, she became a full partner and in 1973, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi named her as its General Counsel since the firm had provided extensive legal work for the organization. In 1976, Sally joined Blue Cross & Blue Shield as its full-time attorney.
“She has one of the most objective minds of any individual I’ve ever known,” said Larry Calhoun, then the vice president of Human Resources at Blue Cross. “She may not always like the answer she has to give, but you can bet it’s the right one every time.”
By the time she retired, she and Mac had fallen in love with their summer home in Winter Harbor, ME an 18th-Century farmhouse complete with restored barn. She spent many summers in Maine after his death, and amazed a lot of travelers who would spot her smoking a corncob pipe while whizzing along the interstates between Mississippi and Maine in her Mercedes station wagon. Usually, a dog as shotgun.
Sally McDavid, as the Blue Cross HR official said, did seem to always have the right answer: on great books, on healing scripture, on music (from classical to country), on innovative gardening and cooking, on thoughtful words to be used when not to offend. She was witty, fun, kind, loving. And, admittedly, she was ready to “be still.”
Sally was preceded in death by her loving husband, O.C. McDavid, stepson Gene McDavid and stepdaughter Nancye McDavid Lee and dear friend Katherine Heidinger. She is survived by stepdaughters Carolyn Nix of Ridgeland, MS and Sue Love of Conway, AR as well as many descendants of her stepchildren and many dear and loving friends.
Her service of remembrance will be held at St. Philips Episcopal Church, where she was a communicant. She will join her dear husband Mac in the Columbarium there. She will be remembered by family members and many friends who thought of her as a treasured gift in their lives. A memorial service will be held at St. Philip's Episcopal Church 5400 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS, on Monday, December 18, 2023, with visitation 2:00-3:00 and the service at 3:00 followed by inurnment at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Philips Episcopal Church, 5400 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS 39211.
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