Lurline Ella Beckwith Courtney passed away at age 97 in her home in Salt Lake City, UT on Monday, May 15, 2017. A public visitation will take place on Thursday, May 25, 2017 at Winnfield Funeral Home from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 26, 2017, 11:00 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, 1565 Curtis Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70807 with interment following in Roselawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum under the direction of Winnfield Funeral Home of Baton Rouge, LA 70811. The Mass will be preceded by viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Prayer service and tributes will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Lurline Courtney was born on November 20, 1919 in Monroe, Louisiana at the family home and was the fifth of six children born to John Beckwith and Ella Davenport Beckwith. Lurline and her siblings attended Mt. Nebo Elementary School, and continued her education at Monroe Colored High. Upon graduation she began taking classes at Louisiana Rural Normal for Negroes in Grambling, LA, the present-day Grambling State University, where she completed a two-year program to earn a teaching certificate. Her first teaching assignment was at Rosenwald Elementary School in Gallion, LA, where she met her future husband Robert Jackson Courtney. After a brief courtship they married on May 2, 1940 in Bastrop, LA. The following year their first child, Lila June, was born. Robert's job took the family to Winnsboro, LA, where Lurline began teaching in the public elementary school until the birth of her second child, Robert, Jr. (R.J.). In 1948 the family moved to Baton Rouge. Deciding to take advantage of living on Southern University's campus she took classes and later earned her bachelor's degree in education from Grambling State University in 1959. She began teaching in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Her longest assignment was Port Hudson Elementary School where she taught first grade until her retirement in 1980. Lurline and Robert, along with many other black professionals, became the foundation of the Southern Heights Community. She was an original and long-time member of Immaculate Conception Church. She was a catechism teacher and volunteered for many years in the church's food bank. Living many years alone after the passing of her husband in 1976, Lurline moved to Salt Lake City in 2007 to be near her son R.J. She stayed in her own home there until her passing. Lurline left a wonderful legacy for her family and friends. Known as a great storyteller and keeper of the family history, she published "Davenport Family Memories" in 2006, a recounting of many stories about growing up in the South. She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert, Sr., her parents, and siblings. She leaves to mourn her daughter, Lila June Riley (Solomon L. Riley, Jr., MD), Los Angeles, CA; son, Robert J. Courtney, Jr., PhD, Salt Lake City, UT; three grandchildren, Monica Riley, Los Angeles, CA; Pamela Riley, MD (Ron Thaniel), Washington, D.C.; and Kevin Riley (Thaís Salgado), Oakland, CA; one great-granddaughter, Ada Thaniel, Washington, D.C., and a host of other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Food Bank Program. ***Immediately Following Service*** To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lurline Courtney, please visit our floral store.