Sarah “Sally” Lawall, 84, died peacefully at home on March 21, 2019. The eldest daughter of Nancy Vincent Nesbit and John Nesbit, Sally was born in Newton, MA, and grew up in Wellesley Hills, MA. She attended Oberlin College, where she majored in French, studied piano at the conservatory, and met her husband-to-be, Gilbert, with whom she came to share 61 years of marriage. After graduation, she pursued a doctoral degree in Comparative Literature at Yale University under the direction of René Wellek, during which time she spent a year in Paris. She received her PhD from Yale in 1961.

The couple moved to Amherst, MA in 1965, where Sally became a distinguished professor of comparative literature and French at the University of Massachusetts. To scholars, Sally is best known for her essays on literary criticism and modern poetry. Professors across the country recognize Sally for her editing of The Norton Anthology of World Literature, a carefully curated collection widely used in universities, accompanied by comprehensive instructor’s guides to which Sally contributed. She published books and many articles on poetry and literary criticism, including Critics of Consciousness: The Existential Structures of Literature and Reading World Literature: Theory, History, Practice with essays by various authors. She served in posts in the American Comparative Literature Association, the Modern Language Association, and the Inter-national Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations.

Possessed of a longstanding interest in different cultures, she traveled with family members to Canada and Mexico, throughout Europe, and to visit her son in Mali during his time in the Peace Corps. Throughout her life, she enjoyed vacationing with her family in New Hampshire, gardening, bird watching, berry picking, and swimming, and she was a strong advocate for conservation and wildlife preservation. Plants of all kinds thrived under her care, including summer vegetables and the extensive collection of houseplants that she maintained throughout the year. In Sally’s retirement, a trusty Yorkshire terrier was a devoted companion.

At home, she excelled at cooking and baking, skills that she passed on to her children. A prolific letter writer, she was admired for the time she invested in writing regularly to both older and younger generations in the family. She was a devotee of classical music, as well as a great fan of mysteries and science fiction. Her wry sense of humor startled the uninitiated, but became a trademark for those who knew her well. She will be especially remembered for her kindness and generosity.

Sally is survived by her loving husband Gilbert, her dearly beloved sons John and Peter, five grandchildren, four great grandchildren, her sister Kate Nesbit, and her niece Kim Marchwick. She was predeceased by her sister Judy.

The family will have a private memorial ceremony. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Dakin Humane Society, P.O. Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101