Sally Jo Whitehead

Published 10:59 am Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Sally Jo Winters Whitehead, 74, Elizabethton, passed away Friday, February 28, 2025, in the Ivy Hall Nursing Home. A native of Carter County, she was a daughter of the late Clarence David and Emma Gladys Hall Winters. Sally Jo was special—one of a kind. She was a graduate of Hampton High School. She spent 20-plus years employed by the Carter County Health Department caring for others. She met her calling when she decided to return to school and become a teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree from ETSU and went on to earn a master’s of education from Tusculum University. Sally taught in the Carter County School System for more than 20 years, impacting numerous lives with her special gifts of love, encouragement, and firm discipline. She was passionate about her ABI (Academic Behavioral Intervention) class and coaching girls’ softball. No matter how bad you got, she would let you know you are loved and you can do better. Sally was a Hampton Bulldog for life but learned to cheer for her grandsons as Cyclones. You could always tell when “Mawey” was at the game. Her hobby was spending time with her grandkids. Sally was a member of Hampton Christian Church but attended Valley Forge Free Will Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Dina Jean Winters, and a brother, Clarence “Bud” Winters.

Survivors include her children: Mikki Fletcher and Jackie (Michelle) Whitehead; five grandchildren: Paige Hensley, Corbin Blevins, Jake Fletcher, Jessie Whitehead, and Justin Whitehead; and one sister, Jean Gobble.

A service to celebrate the life of Sally will be conducted at 7 p.m. Friday, March 7, 2025, in Memorial Funeral Chapel with Pastor Mark Potter officiating. Active pallbearers will be: Jake Fletcher, Jessie Whitehead, Justin Whitehead, David Gobble, Jeff Gobble, and Larry Gobble. The family would like to express a very special thank you to the staff of Ivy Hall Nursing Home for the excellent care she received. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday in the funeral home prior to the service. Graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Hall Cemetery, Hampton. Jon Shell will be playing the bagpipes. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Saturday to go in procession to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.

Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Whitehead family.