Sally Nielsen Hough, 90, of Nobleboro, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2025 at The Lincoln Home in Newcastle surrounded by family.
Born on Oct. 25, 1934 in Damariscotta, Sally was the daughter of George Trygve Nielsen and Ruth Gertrude Keyes. She spent her early years in Nobleboro and Brunswick and graduated from Brunswick High School, where she was active in drama and student publications. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1956.
Sally began her career in New York City as an art director with Golden Books, where she met and later married her colleague, John Douglass “Jack” Hough, in May 1958. Together, they raised two children and shared over 50 years of marriage, living in New York City; Morristown, N.J.; Rochester, N.Y.; Stamford and New Canaan, Conn. – always with a view toward returning home to Maine. After Jack’s passing in 2008, Sally moved permanently to Nobleboro.
Sally was a gifted illustrator and graphic designer, known for her charming and whimsical Christmas cards featuring the yearly cast of her current and dearly departed pets. She also designed a silk scarf for the Garden Club of America, showcasing her love for native plants and pollinators.
Her energy was unbounded. She never said “no” and was deeply engaged in community affairs – most recently with AppleFest and the Nobleboro Historical Society. A passionate and skilled gardener, Sally’s vegetable gardens were the foundation for countless lovingly prepared meals. Yes! She was an excellent cook.
Sally loved animals, with a succession of dogs and cats sharing her home for decades. She had a special fondness for pugs and Siamese cats. As subjects for her paintings and drawings, she had a hummingbird in the freezer for years along with a compliment of insects.
She was a magnetic, vigorous, kind, and warm presence who inspired intense positive feelings wherever she went. While Sally was a seasoned traveler, exploring such places as the American West, Botswana, Russia, Italy, Mexico, and more, her favorite moments were spent in Maine with her family.
In her later years, Sally could be found waving to neighbors from her porch in Nobleboro with a dog at her feet. She made everyone feel like they were the most important person in the world. Sally cultivated a rich network of friends. While she will be missed by all who knew her, her graciousness and humor will remain an enduring legacy.
Sally was predeceased by her husband, Jack Hough; and her parents, George and Ruth Nielsen. She is survived by her children, Christopher Hough (Jenny), of Greenwich, Conn., and Jennifer Conley (Frank), of Charlotte, N.C.; six grandchildren, Sam (Katie), Grace (Josh), Lindsay (James), Matthew, Sophie, and Emma; and two great-grandchildren, Lane and Jack.
The funeral was held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle on July 16, 2025.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Midcoast Humane (midcoasthumane.org) or to The Lincoln Home Senior Retirement Community (lincoln-home.org).
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hall Funeral Home of Waldoboro. To share a memory or condolence with the Hough family, visit Sally’s book of memories at hallfuneralhomes.com.
