Barbara Jane Williams Sands' Obituary
Barbara Jane Williams Sands passed peacefully in her home, surrounded by her family on October 22, 2025. Born in Charleston, West Virginia, she lived in Memphis since 1953. After graduating from Messick High School and the University of Memphis (where she served as music director of Alpha Gamma Delta and earned the crown in the Miss Frayser Pageant), she started a career in education, teaching Religion and English at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Language Arts at the Hutchison School, freshman English at University of Memphis and later serving as Assistant Director of Governor’s School for International Studies.
She was active in Holy Communion Episcopal Church and taught Sunday school, led the music curriculum for summer camp, and participated in various book groups and Bible studies. Barbara and William (Sandy) spent many years hiking with their friends and critiquing films with their movie group. Barbara also loved her Mah Jongg groups and Dilettante friends, serving as President of the study group in 2014.
She lived life to the fullest, gaining recognition for her quilting (a blue ribbon at the Mid-South Fair) and writing (master’s in English, awards from Memphis Magazine and Southeast Review, post-graduate work at the University of Mississippi and Wesleyan College). However, above all else, she loved her family and the times they spent together playing board games, swimming, hiking in the Smoky Mountains and, in later life, enjoying their cabin at Greers Ferry, Arkansas – boating and watching stars around the bonfire.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 60 years, William A. Sands, Jr, her sons, Christopher Sands (Michelle), Stephen Sands (Cindy), her daughter Angel Sands Gunn (Kirt) and grandchildren Russell Sands, Emma Sands, Lilly Sands, Weston Sands, Caroline Gunn and Stella Gunn, her sister Linda Overton, sister-in-law Kay Sands, and five nieces – Melissa (Jonathan/child Mars), Heather, Kathy, Kelly, and Sharon. She was an exceptional human and will be remembered for her elegance, intelligence and steadfast love. She was a beacon of hope and determination for all who knew her.
A memorial service will be held at Memorial Park Chapel on December 22, 2025 at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be given in her honor to Holy Communion Episcopal Church’s Recover Food, Feed Hope food ministry, or to Calvary Episcopal Church’s Food Pantry.
Please see links below:
[https://onrealm.org/ChurchTheHolyCo/-/form/give/now](https://Church of the Holy)
[https://www.calvarychurch.com/giving](https://Calvary Church)
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