Candace Rachelle Gandhi

August 2, 1980 – June 12, 2022

On Sunday, June 12 in the early morning hours, Candace Rachelle Gandhi, loving wife and dog mother to two of the goodest boys, passed away in her sleep in her home in Atlanta, GA.

Candace was born Candace Rachelle Mabry on August 2, 1980 in Nashville, Tennessee. The youngest child, Candace lost her mother, Barbara Henderson at the age of 9, and after a historical court case, entered the legal custody of her stepfather David “Pappy” Henderson. A First-generation graduate, she received her BFA in theatre from Western Kentucky University.

She moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she became well connected in the local film and theatre community working on plays, commercials and tv shows. A talented actress, Candace uncovers a vulnerable honesty in her roles, inviting viewers to witness the depths and complexities of our relationships with ourselves and one another. In 2008 one of her good friends Karli Garrett pushed her to work as an acting and modeling coach and after working with her, began teaching classes at the Rob Mello Studio.

Candace met her husband Kapil Gandhi in 2015 thanks to a random connection made by her good friend Keri Freel. The two were immediately inseparable, spending time traveling and planning their future together. The first film the couple created together, Fawn, won the best film at the Atlanta 48 hour film project. They were married May 30, 2021 in a small ceremony surrounded by close friends and nature.

Candace was known for her infectious laughter and utter joy of life. She enjoyed spending time in her backyard, watching a juicy show, hiding and jumping around corners to scare her husband and dogs, playing animal crossing, and reading self-help books to get a better grasp on the world and her place in it. She followed her passions for traveling and the outdoors, National Parks, independent film-making, and conservancy.

Her close friends would say she has a PhD in intuition, while being huge empath and an advocate for mental health. She loved to spend time with her chosen family and friends diving past the surface conversations looking for authentic connections and meanings and forcing those close to her to look inwards for strength and truth. She would always go out of her way to share her insight on life and help her closest friends through hard times.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2019, and through the hardest times, maintained her zest for life, thirst for knowledge, cheerleading for her friends and family, and positive attitude through endless treatments. She made her wishes clear that she never wanted her cancer journey to be referred to as “losing her battle,” as she felt strongly that the path she was on had purpose, whatever the outcome of the journey. Candace left us peacefully and on her terms.

Candace is survived by her husband, Kapil; Her brother Gary and his sons Blaine and Byron; Her sisters Rhonda and Robin; and her stepfather, David, along with additional step brothers and step sisters, nephews and nieces, as well as her extensive chosen family and her two loving dogs, Rigby and Poe.

Candace has chosen to be cremated and will have her ashes spread according to her wishes by her husband.

An informal celebration of life memorial and potluck will take place June 25 at Azalea Park Pavilion 2 in Roswell at from 1030a to 1p.

All her friends and family are invited to attend, feel free to message us at [email protected] for questions or info.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to First Descents in Candace Gandhi’s memory at https://firstdescents.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.floralhillsfuneral.com for the Gandhi family.