Sally died of cancer at The Carpenter House in Baton Rouge on November 9, 2020. A resident of St Gabriel, Louisiana, she was born on July 14, 1947 in Kosciusko County Indiana. Although born in Indiana, Sally was a Louisiana girl at heart as evidenced by her love for the swamp, cypress knees, wildlife and the people of Louisiana. She was a great friend with twinkling eyes and an infectious giggle who enjoyed being part of the crowd strolling through the French Quarter on Mardi Gras Day. Although her animals were her greatest loves, she also relished drinking the occasional shaken, not stirred, Dirty Martini straight up with one olive. Some of her happiest moments were spent peacefully riding her tractor and cleaning out her horse stalls while her dogs ran free on her land. At the age of 34, after working in the mortgage business for a number of years, Sally began pursuing her professional education at LSU and ultimately became a Licensed Professional Counselor. After receiving her BA in psychology and her MA in education in 1989, she worked for ten years in the position of Program Director at Volunteers of America, GBR where she implemented the mental health services program for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and co-facilitated the suicide survivors support groups. From 2000 until her retirement in 2019, Sally worked for the Louisiana Organ Procurement Association (LOPA) where she designed and implemented the family services program and provided counseling and support to donor families. Sally inspired and was loved by many. She leaves behind her beloved rescue dogs and horses. She was preceded in death by her parents Elbert and Eileen (Allisbaugh) Basicker, her sister Judy Joan Basicker, her beloved Aunt Catherine Allisbaugh and her husband James R. (Jim) Gentry. Sally wished to thank Dr. Nuss at Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center and the staff of the Carpenter House. She appreciated the kind and compassionate care they provided to her, as well as, their honesty and senses of humor. Sally desired to be cremated and did not want any type of memorial service. She asked that her friends and acquaintances consider making donations in her honor to the local animal shelter of their choice or to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
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