Sally Six was born in 1933 in Lawrence, Kansas to Gladys and Deal Six. She received both her bachelors and masters in speech and drama from the University of Kansas and in 1954 helped develop the curriculum in children's theatre and creative dramatics at KU, also establishing the children's theatre. She spent summers touring at theatres in Europe as well as studying acting and directing in New York.

In 1959 she married Robert T. Hersh, and they had two children, Christopher and Jennifer.

Sally Hersh taught speech and drama at West Junior High School in Lawrence, Kan. for over 20 years, staging dozens of plays and musicals. She won several awards, including twice being awarded the Kansas Governor's Scholar Teacher, Most Influential in Education of Students. She retired in 1993 and West Junior High School dedicated its theatre in her name.

Hersh was active in the school district and in other cultural organizations in Lawrence, including the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra and the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art at KU.

Sally Six Hersh passed away in 2001. The KU Department of Theatre established a memorial scholarship in her name to provide deserving undergraduate or graduate students with a special interest in children's theatre scholarship funds.