Sara Ellen Malueg

Sara Ellen “Sally” (Procious) Malueg

May 11, 1932 – October 1, 2026

Sara Ellen “Sally” (Procious) Malueg, a professor of foreign languages, died October 1, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. She was 94.

Sally was born May 11, 1932, in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, to Edward Grant Procious and Julia Melissa (Zellefrow) Procious. Raised in several Western Pennsylvania communities, she graduated from McKeesport High School in 1950. In 1992, the school inducted her into its Hall of Fame in recognition of her professional accomplishments.

She graduated from Muskingum College in Ohio in 1954 and completed her junior year abroad at Sweet Briar College’s program in France. She earned an MA in 1957 and a PhD in French in 1965 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Sally taught at Juniata College in Pennsylvania and Lawrence University in Wisconsin before joining Oregon State University’s Department of Modern Languages in 1966. Promoted to professor in 1977, she chaired the department from 1976 to 1989 and served as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 1989 to 1995. Her scholarship focused primarily on eighteenth-century French literature, particularly Denis Diderot and the Encyclopédie.

A dedicated professional leader, Sally served as president of the Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French, the Samuel Johnson Society of the Northwest, and, twice, the Pacific Northwest Council on Foreign Languages, which recognized her with a commendation for meritorious service. She served on national College Board committees, read for the Educational Testing Service’s Advanced Placement Program in French, and was a Danforth Associate. At OSU, she contributed to numerous university and Faculty Senate committees, served as Faculty Senate president in 1987-88, and represented the university on the PAC-10 Council of the NCAA in 1991.

Sally loved foreign study, research, and travel, visiting countries across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond, sometimes on behalf of the university. Her travels included Austria, Hungary, Yemen, Tunisia, Russia, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Mexico, and France.

Her commitment to service extended into the community. A longtime member and 1989-90 president of the Corvallis Chapter of Zonta International, she was named Zontian of the Year in 2004. She volunteered at annual Zonta events and tutored adult learners in literacy through Linn-Benton Community College. She also volunteered at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library for more than 25 years.

Sally’s many interests began in high school and stayed with her throughout life. Music was a constant, from playing violin in orchestras and baritone horn in marching bands to performing with the Madison Symphony. Later, she served six years on the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Board and ushered for the symphony and piano series. She also enjoyed an extraordinary range of athletic pursuits, including skating, baseball/softball, golf, swimming, water ballet, bicycling, running, skiing, and field hockey. In Oregon, she added waterfowl and deer hunting. An avid reader, she treasured her book club, crossword puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles.

Above all, Sally was proud of her children and grandchildren. She cherished time with her son Ken Jr. and his family and visits with her daughter Deb and family in California. She enthusiastically supported her children and grandchildren at their track and field, swimming, volleyball, and lacrosse events. She also enjoyed traveling with family to Hawaii, Canada, Europe, and Fiji, and getaways to the Oregon Coast, Cascades, Central Oregon, and Clear Lake.

Sally was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth W. Malueg, whom she met at a New Year’s Eve party in 1962 and married in 1964; her parents, Edward and Julia Procious; and her younger siblings, Nancy Lee DeWoody and Nancy’s twin brother, who died at birth.

She is survived by son Kenneth W. Malueg, Jr. and his wife Kieley and their two children Katherine Carman (Brooks) and Timothy; daughter Deborah L. Barnds and her husband Thomas Barnds and their four children Thomas Jr., William, Laura, and John. Also living are brother-in-law Lee DeWoody and her nieces and nephews: Wendy Kalat, Lee DeWoody, Jr. (Betty), Kim DeWoody, and Ted DeWoody (Patty).

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Gethsemani Funeral Home is handling arrangements for burial at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Portland.

Memorial contributions may be made online by visiting https://give.fororegonstate.org/ and selecting the Malueg, Sally E Foreign Languages Scholarship Endowment Fund for the Sally Procious Malueg Study-Abroad Scholarship from the dropdown menu: or by mailing a check to: OSU Foundation, 4238 SW Research Way, Corvallis, OR 97333-1068; or to Zonta Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 792, Corvallis, OR 97339-0792.