March, 15, 2020. Her family will receive friends and family on March 17, 2020 at Gray Brown Funeral Home from 2 pm to 3 pm with a service following at 3 pm at Gray Brown Funeral Home officiated by
Rev. Randy Huddleston and Rev. B.J. Price. Burial will be at Eulaton First Baptist Church.
Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Hershel Hammett and Nellie Dean Dobbins
Hammett and her brother-in-law, Tracy Hall.
She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Donald C. Reaves; one son, James Reaves, one
daughter, Elaine Reaves Price, son-in-law, B.J. Price, her siblings: Garry Hammett (Connie),
Gaylon Hammett (Carol), Beverly Hammett Hall, and Vallie Denise Hammett Martin (Kenneth),
four grandsons: Joel Lanier Price, Caleb Reaves Price, David Andrew Price and Malcolm
Bennett Reaves. Many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews.
Sandra or “Mrs. Reaves” as she was known to thousands of children, was born on August 11,
1947 in Mt Hebron, AL. Born to a farming family and the oldest of five children, Sandra had an
excellent work ethic and set an example for her siblings. Many times she told of feeding
chickens, picking cotton, and doing anything and everything around the farm. Sandra even
remembered the time long past where children were out of school for “cotton picking”. She
graduated from Douglas High School in 1965. Being a woman before her time, Sandra was the
first woman in her family to go to college. She rode a bus to Gadsden State Community College
and was in their first graduating class in 1967. She then went to Jacksonville State University to
finish her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. The first weekend she did not go home to
Mt. Hebron, she met her future husband, Donald C. Reaves. The couple went on their first date to
the newly opened Six Flags on April 13, 1969. After finishing college and teaching one year at
Douglas Elementary School, they were married in her parents’ home on June 12, 1970.
Sandra made her home in the Eulaton area of Anniston for the rest of her life. Sandra began
teaching at Mechanicsville Elementary. Children were Mrs. Reaves' passion. This passion
included children of every race and ethnicity. In the midst of desegregation, Mrs. Reaves boldly
took a position at Thankful Elementary School where she worked with African-American
teachers and administrators. Mrs. Reaves would look back on this time fondly and say her
administrator, Mr. Boyd was one of the best principals she ever had.
In 1974, Sandra and Don welcomed their first child James. In 1977, a baby girl named Elaine
completed their family. Sandra took nine years off from teaching to stay home with her children.
Her father often joked saying she really never took any time off though - she just taught her own
children! Mrs. Reaves, now “Mama” put alphabet trains up around the kitchen where her children
learned to read and write before they ever went to actual school.
Mrs. Reaves did return to teaching professionally in Calhoun County. Over the course of the next
20 years, she taught at Ohatchee Elementary, Alexandria Elementary, and finally home to
Wellborn Elementary. Mrs. Reaves taught elementary school for 27 year before retiring in 2004.
Mrs. Reaves did not only teach children how to read and write. She also taught children about
her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mrs. Reaves was a member of Eulaton Baptist Church where
she taught Mission Friends for many years. There she taught children the importance of knowing
Christ and sharing His love and grace with others. Many children she taught have gone on to be
ministers and missionaries themselves.
Mrs. Reaves was known by many names: Sandra to her family, mom and mama to her children,
Mrs. Reaves to her school children, and Mimi to her four grandsons. Of all her names, it is safe
to say Mimi was her favorite. She became “Mimi” in 2004 and has been known by that name ever
since by her grandsons and even her grandsons cousins! Children were drawn to her loving
heart and sweet spirit. Even to her last days, people gravitated to her contagious laugh and
loving smile. Even when her mind was taken by Alzheimer’s, her spirit continued to shine
through.
Pallbearers will be Joel Price, Caleb Price, Myles Chamblee, Joshua Tucker, Justin Hall.
Honarary pallbearer: David Price
The family would like to thank all those who were the hands and feet of Jesus these last several years: her precious home caregivers, Rachel Dulaney and Geraldine Clark, all the nurses and physicians at the UAB Memory Center, especially Denise Ledlow, RN, the staff at Green Oaks Assisted Living, Dr. Brad McAnalley, MD, Dr. Candice Johnson & Dr. Laura Mahan, Olivia Frazier, Robbie Galloway, and the staff at Johnson & Mahan Dentistry, the nurses and staff at Helen Keller Palliative Care Unit - especially Sheila and Kayla. Thank you to the many others who held our family up in prayer.
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