Sarah "Sally" Gurley Batson

Sarah Cox O’Keeffe Gurley Batson, 94, died peacefully at her home in Roswell on September 22. Born August 27, 1924 at St. Joseph’s Infirmary, Sally was a fifth-generation Atlantan and a 94-year resident of Fulton County. She attended North Fulton High School in Garden Hills, and graduated from Marjorie Webster College in Washington D.C. in 1944. In 1945, she married Kenneth Rice Gurley. She was active in her community, serving as President of the Young Matrons’ Circle for Tallulah Falls School, and as PTA president and a Girl Scout troop leader.
In 1965, while employed as an assistant in the offices of Crest Realty, she was encouraged to consider a sales role, and thus began a career spanning over 50 years, which touched countless individuals throughout the Atlanta area. She held numerous leadership positions and was among the first women to hold the office of President of the Atlanta Board of Realtors. She was further honored to achieve Realtor Emeritus status. She remained active in the business up until recently. One of her greatest joys as a broker was mentoring new agents in the real estate industry.
In 1993 she married John Oscar Batson, whom she reacquainted with at their North Fulton High 50th reunion. She was a longtime and active parishioner of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Roswell, where she served as Junior Warden and as a member of the wedding guild.
She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Eustace O’Keeffe, and her brother, John Eustace O’Keeffe, Jr. In addition to her sister, Clara O’Keeffe Black, of Tallahassee, Florida, Sally is survived by her four children, Anne Gurley Parker of Roswell, John Blake Gurley (Robin) of Athens, William O’Keeffe Gurley (Laura) of Atlanta, and Ellen Gurley Morris (Barry) of Annapolis, Maryland, along with her ten grandchildren and their respective spouses. She is also survived by, and was very proud of, her 19 greatgrandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 20th, at two o’clock in the afternoon, with a reception immediately following. Private interment will be held at Westview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Cottage School, Memo: Philip Parker Scholarship for the Arts, 700 Grimes Bridge Road. Roswell, GA. 30075