GAINESVILLE, Ga. — In the Memorial Garden of First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Pastor Mark Green has a scrapbook he’ll never part with.
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“Oh it was just fantastic,” Green said.
He was talking about the time when the church’s youth choir sang at the Georgia State Capitol for two longtime members of of the church: Gov. Nathan Deal and first lady Sandra Deal.
“She would always greet me and others with warm, gentle, caring hugs,” Green said.
Sandra Deal’s passing at the age of 80 leaves so many with heavy hearts.
But the former governor’s chief of staff Chris Riley will always speak of her with a smile.
“I think her greatest accomplishments and her true asset was she had the ability to see the best in anyone and everyone,” Riley said.
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She brought out the best, too. During her time as first lady, she worked tirelessly to improve literacy across the state.
She visited schools in all 159 counties and read books to the youngest students.
Back at First Baptist, where the Deals attended church every Sunday for decades, they will never forget her.
“There is a sense of sorrow at her loss. But she was very hopeful and loving all the way to the end. I think that is how she is remembered by this congregation,” executive pastor Tony Lankford said.
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Green will always remember that performance at the Statehouse, of course, but he says Sandra Deal never missed any big performance.
“I had the privilege to teach three of her grandchildren in the youth choir here. Even while (Nathan Deal) was governor, she and Nathan would always come up and be present for their grandchildren’s events,” Green said.
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