Sally Hubbard Towns, beloved wife, sister, aunt and great-aunt, passed away on May 24 due to complications from a stroke and dementia. She was born on Jan. 17, 1950, to the late Millard Farmer Hubbard and Dorothy Adams Hubbard in Jackson, Miss., the second of three children. She graduated from Murrah High School in 1968 and was named Junior Miss Jackson and first runner-up for Junior Miss Mississippi that year.

She attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, graduating in 1972 with a degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy. She later earned two Masters Degrees from LSU, one in Special Education and another in Social Work. Sally had an outstanding career with the Louisiana Department of Health and as an independent special education teacher and educational consultant. She worked for many years at the Margaret Dumas Mental Health Center in Baton Rouge and served as Project Coordinator and teacher for their pilot Evaluating Classroom and also as their Mental Health Program Manager. She finished her career as Program Manager in the Department of Health and Hospital’s Quality Management and Program Evaluation Section of the Division of Research and Development.

In 1982 Sally married Dr. James Philip Towns IV, a clinical psychologist whom she met in the course of her career. He predeceased her in 2010. They lived in Baton Rouge for many years with their hound dog, Elvis, and spent their retirement years in Masonic Park in South Fork, Colo. They relished life in foothills of the San Juan Mountains with their two Golden Retrievers, Sunny and Digger. They had many adventures with their friends in the Silverthreaders Outdoor Recreation Club of the San Luis Valley. Sally was also a talented artist and enjoyed creating miniatures for her nieces’ dollhouses.

Sally was an elegant woman with a beautiful smile. She had a warm, loving heart and a quick wit. She loved to laugh and had the innate ability to light up a room. She was devoted to her family and had a special gift for connecting with children. She adored her two nieces, considering herself their second mother and surrounding them with her special love and attention. Her longtime friends in Baton Rouge and South Fork were a source of love and great times for her.

Sally is survived by her sister Jane Hubbard Anderson of Cary, N.C., her brother William Millard Hubbard of Jackson; nieces Catherine Anderson Beard (Charlie) of Seattle, Wash., and Mary Perrin Anderson Stark (Scott) of Davidson, N.C., and their children Anderson, Adrienne, Mary Catherine, Betsy and Everett. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to Shirley Porter who has loved, companioned and cared for two generations of the Hubbard family. We also thank the staff at the Waterford in Ridgeland, St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson, and Clinton Healthcare and Pax Hospice in Clinton for their compassionate care of Sally.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Sally’s memory to the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, 15350 W. 72nd Ave., Arvada, CO 80007.