Sandra Davis Green

"Is everybody happy?” 

"Well, yeah!"

"Is anybody sad?' 

"Well, no!"

"How about a locomotive, let her go!" 

 You could hear these words from Sandra Davis Green in a Mercury minivan full of grandkids riding down interstate 85. A cheer learned during her cheerleading days at Crossville High School in 1955 turned into a mantra for energetic road trips with the grandkids and represents Sandra’s energy as she led the cheer and her grandchildren with joy.

 Sandra was born in Norfolk, Virginia on June 23, 1938, to Sam Tate and Eunice Kea Davis, who moved to Sand Mountain, Alabama when Sandra was seven.    Sandra was the second of five children and the oldest daughter. She is survived by her older brother, Richard (Peggy), her younger twin siblings, Frank (Mona) and Frances. Her youngest brother Jerry passed away in 2020.  Growing up in Crossville was a delight to Sandra who eagerly told the stories of her mischievous spend-the-night exploits with her girlfriends as recently as this past spring and who was voted in 1956 “Best All Around” in her graduating class, an honor befitting her. 

 Sandra was a loving wife to Robert Hulon Green, who passed away in 2017. They met in 1960 at Carrollton High School where Sandra was teaching English and Robert was teaching science and coaching football. It’s no surprise that for their first date Robert took her to a football game to scout.  Little did she know that night that she was signing up for a life of Friday night high school football. They were married on Christmas Eve 1960 and the next day attended the Green family Christmas Day meal in Ashland, the first of countless Christmas Days with the Greens.  Robert and Sandra celebrated 56 years as husband and wife where they enjoyed many things together such as listening to the Beach Boys and Statler Brothers, watching football, traveling to new places such as Hawaii and Cayman Islands, and playing their favorite card game Rook.

Sandra was also a devoted mother to her two kids Debbie and Bert. From West Rome’s football and track seasons to Wednesday night supper and choir rehearsals at West Rome Baptist and then Bert’s Little League baseball games, her life in Rome, Georgia was never slow.   Her self-sacrifice was one of Sandra’s most underrated qualities. She would do anything to make her husband and children happy.

Sandra’s true pride and joy came from her six grandkids: Sandy McAfee, Erin McAfee (Austin), Graham Green, Grace Green, Carson McAfee and Davis Green. With her namesake Sandy’s birth, Sandra became our Gigi, short for Grandmother Green. Too young to be called a grandma, Gigi’s title became her new identity as friends and caregivers also adopted Gigi as Sandra’s nickname, and her hugs and regular greeting cards were key to her life as a grandmother.  With her family, including her kids’ spouses, Rick and Joanna, she cheered on the Georgia Bulldogs even watching UGA baseball this past weekend, ate banana popsicles, and loved pontoon rides at their old house on the Coosa River in Southside and, later, on Lake Lanier in Gainesville. One of Gigi’s greatest gifts to her grandchildren was her infamous Christmas cookie recipe, Mrs. Hastings cookies. Whether in Gadsden or Gainesville, they baked them each Christmas break as a holiday tradition that her grandchildren will continue on. 

In her final months, Sandra was proud to meet her first great-grandchild Elowyn born April 6.  Elowyn made Sandra so happy that she excitedly renamed herself, “GGG”, which stood for Great-Gigi or great-grandmother. GGG enjoyed holding Elowyn and, even when Elowyn wasn’t visiting, and Sandra looked at her photo beside her TV she would claim: “I just love her.” 

 Sandra was well-known for her quick wit – and sometimes sass. Time spent with Gigi often involved laughter. She was whip smart and well-read with a great love of reading. She knew the meaning of just about any word in the dictionary – and was not afraid to correct any misused word. Sandra enjoyed crossword puzzles, word games like Wordle, along with crocheting and cross-stitch.

Education and an interest in literacy fueled her life, and her passion for teaching drove her career. She was an English teacher, always eagerly correcting her family’s grammar and taught high school English for 30 years at West Rome High School and Gainesville High School.  As an exceptional educator, instilling a love of literature in her students, she earned awards such as Teacher of the Year and Star Teacher. After retirement in Georgia, she taught GED classes at Gadsden State and helped many people, young and old, advance their education.

Sandra passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 10, 2024, in Duluth, Georgia. Her 85 years of life were full of love, learning, teaching, reading, family, faith and football. Our Gigi will be missed, celebrated and cherished.

We invite family and friends to remember Sandra at a memorial service on Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m. at the chapel at Little Davenport Funeral Home. A visitation will follow at noon. Lunch in Lawrenceville at Debbie’s to follow.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.