Sallye Waldman

Sallye Waldman was born December 30, 1929, in Port Arthur, Texas. She was the daughter of Sophie and Dave Bagelman. She died October 10, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Sallye is survived by her husband of 68 years, Carl Waldman; her daughter, Suzi Gerstenhaber and her husband Elliot; her son Steve Waldman and his wife Gayle; and her sister Elaine Helfman. She was predeceased by her daughter Bari Waldman Mintz, and her parents, Sophie and Dave Bagelman. Sallye is also survived by her grandchildren: Jaffray Getz and husband Chris; Joshua Mintz and wife Emily; Alix Wren and husband Greg; Brooke Reichek and husband Jonathan; Andy Gerstenhaber and wife Farin; Matthew Waldman; Amanda Sherman and husband Logan. Sallye is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Ellie and Lauren Getz; Benson and Alec Mintz; Avery, Lainey, and Davis Wren; Ethan, Reese, and Reagan Reichek; Hailey and April Gerstenhaber; and Aimee Sherman.

Sallye and her sister Elaine were raised in the difficult years of the Depression and World War II, but she never felt deprived of anything. Her loving parents Sophie and Dave provided for her every want and need. Even when her mother Sophie’s health failed, taking her away to convalesce for a year, her father Dave provided extra love and attention to his girls. 

Sallye attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where she marched in the Drum and Bugle Corps. Upon graduating, she left for the University of Texas, and the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, but college life was not for Sallye, so she returned home to Port Arthur. A tall beauty, Sallye soon drew the attention of many suitors. Sallye was set up on a blind date with a tall, handsome attorney named Carl Waldman. The match did not take, but a second blind date was arranged, and that led to love and marriage.

Sallye and Carl set up house in a little apartment on McFadden, where they welcomed their first child, Suzanne Karen, into the world. Sallye was a doting mother to Suzi, and soon, Bari Joan came along, and the family was complete. But a few years later…surprise! Along came Steve! Now there were five of them, and soon, Carl moved Sallye and the kids into a new home on Edson Drive. Sallye turned that home into a showplace. Sallye always had an eye for style, dressing up, and appearing in numerous runway shows as a model. But home design was her art form, and the Edson home was her palette. She and a series of interior decorators brought furniture and decorative items from around the world to give the Edson home a beauty that was unsurpassed. Sallye was a style leader in everything she did, and she always insisted that she, and her family, look and act appropriately. 

Sallye was raised in a time when most women kept their politics to themselves. As time went by, Sallye grew more interested in politics, and she became extremely vocal about her liberal views, albeit only to family. As her children grew up and had children of their own, Sallye allowed her sense of humor to show, and Sallye was hilarious.

Sallye was never superstitious, except when she was (knock on wood, toot-toot-toot, tell the pilot to fly carefully), and she only had favorites when you were alone with her. Sallye could be extremely strong, particularly when she was protecting those she loved, and she had charisma that could only be experienced and not explained. Sallye was a force of nature, whose grandchildren and great-grandchildren called “Sallye,” with an “e” of course, because what else would you call her?

Sallye and her family are immensely grateful to the caretakers who became part of our family, including Bridgette Henry, Tawana “Tee” Henry, Stephanie Hooks, Kelly Barron, and the staff at the Villa D’Este. Sallye also was very grateful to Dr. Eric Bernicker, and his team of health care professionals at The Methodist Hospital, who treated Sallye with loving care and dignity.

However, Sallye’s greatest love was her husband, Carl. The two of them were always in each others’ hearts, and even as the end drew near, the sight of them holding hands was a touching tribute to the enduring power of love. When Carl found out that Sallye could receive no further healing treatments, he told her, “We will have whatever life we have left, and then we will be together forever.”

A graveside service for Mrs. Waldman will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, October 12, 2018, at Hebrew Rest Cemetery, 2219 Pine Street, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.