Deal, Sandra
Sandra Deal, the former first lady of Georgia who devoted her life to education and literacy, died Tuesday, Aug. 23, of cancer. She was 80.
A 15-year veteran of teaching language arts in Hall County, she committed to touring Georgia's classrooms and reading to students after her husband Nathan Deal was elected governor in 2011.
During eight years in the Governor's Mansion, she completed her commitment, having read to students in all of Georgia's 159 counties, including more than 1,000 schools and pre-K programs. She also oversaw donations of thousands of books, and advocated tirelessly for Georgia's students to get the resources they needed.
Sandra Deal was born Emilie Sandra Dunagan in Gainesville, Georgia, on Feb. 1, 1942. She attended Georgia College and State University at Milledgeville, earning a bachelor's in elementary education in 1963 and a master's in elementary education in 1968. She married Nathan Deal in 1966.
Read more about Sandra Deal on ajc.com
