Courtney Howard Quattlebaum

Courtney Howard Quattlebaum of Charleston, SC, entered into eternal rest on the morning of March 16, 2012. Born September 4, 1943 to Sue Garvin Howard and the late Edward Hartwell Howard, she and her sisters, Linda Sue Poston of Charleston, SC and Judy Whitworth (Larry) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, grew up in Aiken, SC. She earned a Fine Arts degree from Coker College in Hartsville, SC, and despite having been caught smoking cigars in the art studio, worked for Coker as a recruiter following graduation. She met her husband, Thomas Godfrey Quattlebaum, MD on July 4, 1966 at his grandmother's beach house in Singleton Swash above Myrtle Beach. Mrs. Quattlebaum taught in North Charleston following their marriage in 1967, and supported her husband through medical school at MUSC.

Together, they raised four children, Courtney Anne Quattlebaum of Austin, TX, Mary Quattlebaum de Haas (Roualeyn) of Santa Fe, NM, Thomas Godfrey Quattlebaum, Jr. (Hobbs) of Santa Cruz, CA, and Elizabeth McCall Quattlebaum of Charleston, SC (engaged to LTJG Matthew Cox). With immense joy, they welcomed two grandchildren, Elliot Roualeyn de Haas and Annabel Skye Quattlebaum.

A great supporter of the arts, Mrs. Quattlebaum was past president of the board of Charleston Ballet Theatre and a sponsor of the Spoleto Festival. In her own art, her work in oils and pastels reflected her impressions of landscape, meditations on personal experience, and a great skill for portraiture often using her children and grandchildren as models. Her friend and mentor was Frank Licciardi, a local oil painter, and she was close to batik artist, Mary Edna Fraser, and local teacher and artist, Shirley Gibson. She was a substitute art teacher at both Ashley Hall and Porter Gaud. She was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, serving on the flower guild. An inspired cook, she was renowned for her remarkable dinner parties and was an exuberant and gracious hostess. Mrs. Quattlebaum enjoyed traveling through Europe, and she and her husband most recently spent time together in the Italian lake region of San Vigilio at Lake Garda in the Fall.

Courtney Quattlebaum was unfailingly kind and lighthearted, warming her home with merriment and her beautiful smile. In life, she taught us how to live with grace, laughter and selflessness, and our memories and joys are immeasurable. She made everyone around her feel loved. She is survived by her husband and her mother, her children and grandchildren, as well as her sisters, devoted in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services, Monday, March 19, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in St. Matthew's Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends Sunday, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL. Interment will take place in Lakeside Cemetery in Conway, SC at 5:30 p.m. Memorials may be made to Grace Episcopal Church, 98 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC 29401.