Ms. SALLY LYNN SCHUR

NEW ORLEANS -- Sally Lynn Schur died suddenly Sunday, July 12, 2020, after several years of declining health. SERVICE: A private service at the grave will be held in the Beth-El Section of Greenwood Memorial Park. MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rabbi Robert J. and Rolly Schur Financial Aid Fund at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care , 1111 Summit Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76102, www.jameslwest.org, to Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, www.bethelfw.org, or to a charity of your choice. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 16, 1945, Sally was the daughter of Rabbi Robert J. and Rolly Friedman Schur. After the family moved to Fort Worth from Alexandria, Louisiana, in 1956, Sally attended and graduated from R.L. Paschal High School in 1964. She received her bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1968 and was one of the first teachers hired in the Deaf-Blind program at the Callier Hearing Center in Dallas, Texas. After several years working with deaf-blind children at Callier, Sally moved to Austin and received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Texas in 1986. While in Austin, Sally worked closely with her mentor, Dr. Ed Hammer, as a driving force in developing the Functional Skills Screening Inventory (FSSI). The FSSI is used to assess a broad range of critical living and working skills of individuals ages 6-90 in targeted special needs categories and is based on an “abilities model” (showing what a person can do) rather than a “deficit model” (showing what a person cannot do). This pioneering tool has been used worldwide to assess the abilities of (and thereby support the provision of coordinated and appropriate services to) deaf-blind, multi-handicapped, autistic, and medically fragile persons including stroke victims, persons suffering traumatic brain injury, and persons with moderate-to-severe cognitive defects. It has also been used to facilitate the development of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and transition plans in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). After receiving her Ph.D., Sally turned down an invitation to continue her academic career and instead moved to Ormond Beach, Florida, where she put her training into actual practice for more than a decade as a supported living coach for individuals who had suffered traumatic brain injuries. In 2003, Sally fulfilled her childhood dream of moving to New Orleans, where she immersed herself in the cultural life of the city. From 2004-2009, she worked at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where she served as Grandstand Coordinator before and after Hurricane Katrina. From 2008-2012, she served as Community Festivals Crafts Coordinator at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. A unique and unforgettable personality, Sally was brilliant, energetic, creative, fun-loving, an avid reader, a talented writer and editor, an enthusiastic supporter of local crafts and music, and friend to a host of colorful characters. SURVIVORS: Sally is survived by her brother and her sister-in-law, William M. and Holly H. Schur; and their sons, Daniel A. Staples and Michael B. Schur. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ms. SALLY LYNN SCHUR please visit our Sympathy Store.