Obituary of Sallye Courtwright

Sallye Bell Carr Courtwright “Nanny”, age 85, passed away on October 17, 2020, she is now dancing with Jesus in Heaven.  Her life was well lived and she was well loved.  The Lord called her home in a peaceful manner at the Carpenter Hospice with her family by her side.

The 7th of 8 siblings, Sallye was born in Hickman, Kentucky on June 9, 1935.  Her father earned a living as a farmer, while her mother who also farmed, was a proud mid-wife to the people of Hickman.  Sallye attended Western School and at the age of 17, she moved to Shreveport to live with her Uncle Mack.  She earned a degree from Woodlawn High School and attended business school in Shreveport, LA. She was a loyal employee of United Gas and later Milbar Hydro Test Inc., where she fell in love with her husband, Harry Courtwright.

Growing up with Sallye was never dull. She had one daughter, Melissa Renee’ Hudson.  Later, she relished her role as a grandmother to two granddaughters by becoming a wonderful great-grandmother to four great grandchildren. Sallye was a great seamstress always willing to make custom dresses for her granddaughters’ special events.  She always made sure her family never went without.  Sallye had a great love for finance and shared that love with her granddaughters, always allowing them to attend her meetings.  Her efforts were not in vain, one of her granddaughters graduated with Bachelor’s in Finance. Her impact on others was remarkable.

Sallye was a strong, independent, and truly beautiful lady, who was always there to see things through to the end while her lively spirit often made her the life of the party. 

Sallye was a true matriarch to her family.  She was a beloved mother, aunt, mother-in-law, sister, friend, and the best example of a grandmother and great-grandmother anyone could know.  She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. 

We hold Sallye close in our minds and in our spirits, remembering her spunk and joy of life.  She loved the lake, traveling with her husband, having a glass of wine with friends, and most importantly spending time with family.  She always had a good time and was fun to be around and laughed at the simple things.  She also gave good advice, her last words of guidance to one of her granddaughters was “if you pick a rotten apple, throw it out”.  She always helped with a caring sense of humor. Sallye was very smart, and resourceful.  Ever determined, she worked hard to improve on her own imperfections to become a better person, mother, and friend. 

Sallye was thrilled and excited to assist LSU medical students by helping them understand proper bedside manner that would allow them to become better caring physicians.  She developed a special love for young medical students and to prove her love, she donated her body to LSU Medical School to further their learning.  She simply wanted to help others, even in death. 

Although Sallye had a happy life, it was marked with great sorrow when she lost her beloved husband Harry “D.D.” in 1996.  She was truly heartbroken, but she drew strength from the love of her family and friends.  Sallye never remarried and continued to live out her life in Bossier City, close to her daughter.  In her final years, she was tenderly cared for by her loving sister, Anita Carr.   

She was our hero! She was a woman with great love, courage, integrity, and our matriarch who understood and appreciated the importance of family and friends. Sallye inspired us to find confidence within ourselves and our communities, to use our own star power to be productive citizens of society.  She believed in the ineffable mystery and extraordinary beauty of the simple human heart.  She led by example.

Sallye Carr Courtwright was preceded in death by her husband; Harry Courtwright; mother Daisy Eliza Carr; father Leonard Earnest Carr; sister Louise Schaffer; and brothers T.L. Carr, Harold “Pup” Carr, Gene Carr, Robert “Bob” Carr, and James “Dandy” Carr.  She is survived by her daughter Melissa Jacks Hudson (husband Ricky Hudson); granddaughters Jennifer Thibodeaux (husband Carl Thibodeaux) and Jessica Hudson; great-grandchildren Clayton Fry, Hannah Fry, Isabella Lisenby, and Hudson Keith; and sister Anita Carr. 

The family would like to thank Dr. David Abdehou, the staff at Carpenter Hospice in Shreveport, and Anita Carr who made the last days of Sallye’s life here as pleasant as possible.  We appreciate the prayers and support. May she now forever walk with Jesus.