Obit: Necia Salan

A reader sent along the obituary for Cover to Cover founder Necia Salan, who died last month:

Necia (Nicky) Salan Mar. 27, 1934 - Oct. 10, 2011 Beloved San Francisco bookseller Nicky Salan died peacefully at home after a long illness. The bookstore she founded, Cover to Cover, a San Francisco institution, grew out of her love for children's literature and the small, Saturday sales of children's books from her long-time home on Edgewood Avenue in Parnassus Heights. Even before the bookstore opened, initially on Clement Street and later on 24th Street in Noe Valley, Nicky was known as the Book Fair Lady, providing books to hundreds of school fund-raising events and befriending many elementary school teachers. She soon became a nationally recognized expert on literature for children and youth. She was proud to count among her closest friends many of her devoted staff as well as publishers' book representatives. When Nicky retired in 1999, the Noe Valley store passed into employee hands. Born in Baltimore and raised there and in Ellicott City, Maryland, a graduate of Barnard College, Class of 1955, Nicky is survived by her daughter, Debra (and Ken Maki), son Fred (and Toni Barba-Salan) and adored grandsons Aram Hava Salan, Daniel Fine Salan and Marco Barba Salan. Nicky moved to San Francisco in 1958 with her former husband, Martin Salan, who predeceased her, working initially as a social worker at the Jewish Community Center on California Street. A lifelong Giants fan (her move and theirs in 1958 was merely a coincidence) and long-time season ticket holder, Nicky lived to see her team bring home a World Series trophy. She was a superb and inventive cook, a gracious hostess, and a most generous friend. The family would like to thank and acknowledge Nicky's devoted caregivers, Fay Gustilo and Juanita Russo and the wonderful hospice staff. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 12, at 10:00 a.m. at Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero St., SF, followed by burial at Home of Peace Cemetery in Colma. In lieu of flowers, contributions are welcome to Grattan School: Nicky Salan Library Fund, 165 Grattan Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 or the charity of your choice.