Emma "Emmy" Sanders Woodall

Emmy was born on February 21, 1950 in Wendell, North Carolina to J.H. "Bill" and Hettie Sanders. She often recalled childhood memories spent with her loving siblings, Margaret and Johnny, and Wendell always held a very special place in her heart. She took after her mother Hettie in her personality and was a gentle, kind, graceful, and strong woman. Beautiful inside and out, she was often dressed in her favorite color pink. She attended St. Mary's Junior College and UNC- Chapel Hill, and settled in Raleigh thereafter. Her parents instilled a strong sense of family and faith in Emmy and her siblings, and she devoted her life to raising her two children Chandler and Dean. In addition to being a loving mother, she was a wedding planner for almost a decade in Raleigh. One of her favorite things was spending time with her loved ones on the North Carolina coast, and it was always her goal to make sure that those around her were smiling and enjoying life. Her greatest joy later in life was spending time with her grandchildren, Sanders and Lilly.

Emmy will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She fought a fearless 9-year battle with metastatic breast cancer and never once doubted God’s plan for her. She was a woman of strong faith and never feared passing into her next life, especially in her final days.

Emmy was predeceased by her parents J.H. "Bill" and Hettie Sanders, her sister Margaret Powe and brother-in-law Ed Powe, and niece Elizabeth Perry. She is survived by her daughter Chandler Norman (Matt) and son Dean, her grandchildren Sanders and Lilly Norman, brother John Sanders (Penny), sister-in-law Bobbie Perry, nephew Charles Powe (Lisa), nephew John C. Sanders (Martha), niece Hettie Reule (Dean), and niece Elise Massey (Tom). She is also survived by her loving friends and caregivers Lawanda Koonce and Marie Montague.

A memorial service, with reception to follow, will be held Friday, July 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 100 E. Peace St, Raleigh, NC 27604.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation by check made payable to “UNC Health Foundation” and note “The Dr. Lisa Carey Fund for Breast Cancer Innovations (376727) in memory of Emmy Woodall” in the memo line. Mail to: UNC Health Foundation, 123 W. Franklin St. Ste 510, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 or make a donation online at: unchf.org/woodall.

Services provided by Brown-Wynne, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.