After a life of love and quiet grace, Shelby Jean Sanders of Dublin, GA has passed.
Below, the family shares some of what made her life meaningful.
Shelby held deeply to the Baptist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew her best.
Those who live by belief leave a different kind of mark.
Shelby Jean Sanders, age 89, passed away on May 4, 2026. She was born on October 2, 1936, and lived a life marked by faith, love, and service to others.
Shelby was a devoted florist who found great joy in serving her community through her flower and wedding shop, Garden Gate. She spent over 30 years as owner and operator, pouring her heart into her work. She loved every minute of helping others celebrate life's most meaningful moments, bringing beauty and care into everything she touched.
A woman of deep faith, Shelby cherished her church families at Oconee Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Dublin, where she was a member of the Winsome Sunday School Class. She also faithfully taught Sunday School at Oconee Baptist Church for 30 years. Her life reflected her love for the Lord, and she lived each day as a kind and faithful servant.
She attended Dudley High School, where she played basketball, and carried that same energy and love for life into her many friendships over the years. She treasured time spent with her "Golden Girls" later in life, sharing laughter, stories, and many special adventures.
Shelby had a gift for sewing and lovingly made many of her children's and grandchildren's clothes over the years. She found joy in creating for her family, friends, and neighbors, always adding a personal touch that made people feel special.
To all who knew and loved her, she was simply "Jama," a name that carried warmth, joy, and a deep sense of home.
Shelby will be remembered as hardworking, generous, and full of grace. She had a way of making everyone feel special and loved. With her warm Southern charm and classy spirit, she often left others with her signature words, "I love you, Shugga." She loved people well and found joy in making their lives more beautiful and full of sparkle.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Julian Sanders; her parents, Debenion and Mary Gilbert; and her siblings, Virginia Brown and Wendell Gilbert.
She is survived by her daughter, Gail Brooks Clark and son-in-law, O.E. Clark; her son, Mike Sanders and daughter-in-law, Bonnie Sanders; and her daughter, Melinda Fowler and son-in-law, Tommy Fowler; her grandchildren, April Bragg and husband Terry, Amy Church and husband Nate, David Sanders, Ashleigh Wright and husband Alan, Kali Perez and husband Hansel, and Lane and Blake Fowler; her great-grandchildren, Abi and Drew Bragg, Brooks Wright, Wes Perez, Bailey and Blair Church, and Shelby Lou Wright; and a host of extended family members and dear friends.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, May 8, 2026, at 3:00 pm in the Mary Whitaker Townsend Memorial Chapel at Townsend Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Robert Rogers, Rick Statham, and Darrell Paulk officiating. Burial will follow at Oconee Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday from 1:30 to 2:45 pm at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be David Sanders, Lane Fowler, Blake Fowler, Terry Bragg, Alan Wright, Nate Church, and Hansel Perez.
Honorary pallbearers are Larry Woodard, Danny Woodard, Jerry Woodard, Clinton Woodard, Earl Bracewell, Vernon Holloway, Claude Vines, Charlie Garbutt, and the Winsome Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shelby Jean Sanders, please visit our floral store.
