Wanda is survived by her husband, James M. Saffold; her sister, Mary Dains (Joe); her children, Alison Smith and Justin Hill, Dustin Rogers (Page), and Hunter Saffold; her grandchildren, Chloie Smith, Alyssa Smith, Joseph Smith, Charleigh Rogers, Taytum Rogers, Kenzie Rogers, Paisley Rogers, Hayden Rogers, Kendal Rogers, Kyle Rogers, Peighton Rogers, Presley Rogers, Bristol Rogers, Logan Rogers, Zeek Rogers, and Maraesha "Maddie" Saffold; her nephews, Karson Saffold, James W. Saffold, Josh Saffold, Zachary Saffold, Joey Dains; her nieces, Kristin Hibner, Ashley Dize, Tabitha "Cookie" Hinkle; and her fur babies, Taco & Rocky.
Wanda was preceded in death by her father, Donald Powell; her brother, Ray Powell; her first husband with whom she shared two children, James "Jim" William Rogers; her son-in-law, Perry Smith; and her father-in-law, James L. Saffold "Paw-Paw".
Wanda was a wonderful mother to two children who, to put it lovingly, gave her a run for her money. She loved her family with everything she had, but Wanda’s love wasn’t always the soft and easy kind. She had a way of giving the people she loved exactly the kind of love they needed, even when that meant a healthy dose of tough love. She was the glue that held so much of the family together and often the voice of reason in the middle of the chaos.
She was also wonderfully and unmistakably Wanda. She made what may have been the driest macaroni and cheese ever served at a family gathering, and somehow everyone kept eating it. She loved Alabama football with her whole heart, even if she couldn’t necessarily tell you what a first down was. She knew the important part: Roll Tide.
And Wanda loved Christmas, especially her Santa inflatable despite one of them getting physically assaulting her…and won. It became one of those family stories that only got funnier with time, and we have no doubt Wanda would be laughing right along with us as we tell it now.
For all the tough love she handed out, Wanda was an absolute sucker for her grandchildren. She was wrapped around every one of their tiny fingers, and they knew it. Being their grandmother brought her tremendous joy, and there wasn’t much she wouldn’t have done for them.
Wanda loved her sister, Mary, dearly. They shared the kind of bond built over a lifetime of memories, laughter, love, and making sure the other stayed completely informed on all the important family business. We can only imagine Wanda has already made it through the pearly gates, gotten the lay of the land, and is currently trying to figure out how to call Mary because there is absolutely no chance she is keeping all the gossip she’s heard up there to herself.
Wanda was also blessed to know great love in her lifetime. She loved her first husband, with whom she built a family and welcomed her two children, Dustin and Nikki. Later, she was blessed to find love again with her second husband, who became her partner, her best friend, and remained by her side through the end.
Wanda was funny, stubborn, strong, loving, occasionally brutally honest, and completely herself. She loved fiercely, worried deeply, laughed often, and held her family together in more ways than they probably ever realized.
There will always be stories that begin with, “Do you remember when Wanda…” There will be Alabama games that aren’t quite as loud, Christmases where someone will inevitably bring up the year Santa won, and macaroni and cheese that is suspiciously moist.
Most of all, there will forever be a Wanda-shaped place in the family she loved so fiercely, a place no one else could ever quite fill.
A visitation will be held at Radney-Smith Funeral Home, 320 North Elm Avenue, Sylacauga, Alabama 35150, on August 30, 2026, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
A graveside service will be held at Mt. Olive Cemetery, 5755 Coosa County Road 66, Goodwater, AL 35072, on August 30, 2026, at 4:30 pm.
Pallbearers will be James M. Saffold, Dustin Rogers, Justin Hill, Zach Saffold, Hunter Saffold, Josh Saffold, and James W. Saffold.
