Former Georgia First Lady Betty Foy Sanders Dead At 95

GEORGIA — Former Georgia First Lady Betty Foy Sanders died Sunday, Gov. Brian Kemp's office confirmed. She was 95-years-old.

Gov. Kemp said he and his family were saddened to learn of her passing.

"As first lady and alongside Georgia's 74th governor, Carl Edward Sanders Sr., she represented so much of what makes Georgia the greatest state in our nation to call home," Kemp said in a statement. "With her sharp wit, class, and famous sense of humor, she was the epitome of a southern woman. During her years as first lady and during her long and fulfilling life afterwards, she was devoted to beautifying our state, preserving Georgia's proud history, and helping students of the arts further their education and talents."

According to the Digital Library of Georgia, Sanders made a name for herself in fashion, particularly for her hats. She also helped to create the first Georgia Council of Arts, which developed fine arts programs and buildings on numerous Georgia campuses and sponsored art scholarships. She served on the Council for seven years.

A talented artist in her own right, Kemp said her influences are felt at the Georgia Governor's Mansion to this day.

"As we mourn with her family and loved ones, we also thank God for her service, her life of contributions to her fellow Georgians, and the shining example she set for so many others."

From January 1963 to January 1964, Sanders served as the first lady alongside Georgia's 74th Governor Carl Edward Sanders Sr., according to the National Governors Association. Her husband died in 2014. The couple had two children.