Sandra Jo Chastain

Sandra Anglin Chastain, 79, of Smyrna, Georgia passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, September 24, 2016. A Celebration of Life service will be held on October 15, 2 p.m., in the Columbarium at Southern Cremations and Funerals, 1861 Dallas Highway, Marietta, Georgia. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The American Brain Foundation or to The Alzheimer's Association. Sandra is predeceased by her husband, Linton M. (Pepper) Chastain and is survived by her daughters Lynn Ridgeway (Perry) and Karen Major (Charlie) and Kim Overman (Warren); grandchildren Charlie Ridgeway, Whitney Huffman, Joseph Huffman, Jenna Major, and Sophie Major. Sandra was born in Wadley, Georgia to parents Henry and Edna Anglin. As a child she made up fantasy lives for her paper dolls, put on amateur stage shows for the neighborhood children, avidly read Nancy Drew mysteries, wrote a one-act play, and participated in the Wadley High School musicals. While attending Georgia State University and majoring in journalism, she met and married "Pepper" Chastain and spent the next 20 years raising 3 children and managing the office of her husband's veterinary practice. With her children married and raising families of their own, Sandra returned to her love of writing and sold her first romance novel to Bantam books in 1987. She went on to publish fifty-three contemporary, mainstream, and historical novels. She was the recipient of many writing awards including a four time winner of the Maggie Award for Writing Excellence, the Nancy Knight Mentor Award, and was recognized by leading romance periodicals as "Favorite Author" and "Best Historical of the Year". Sandra was the subject of feature articles in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Marietta Daily Journal, The Atlanta Business Chronicles, and Southern Living Magazine. Sandra also was a founding member of the Georgia Romance Writers Association (GRW) and BelleBooks Publishing. She held several offices in each including president (twice), vice-president, and conference program chair. GRW created an award in her name, the Sandra Chastain Volunteer Service Award, which is presented each year during its annual Moonlight and Magnolias Conference. Sandra loved her family, loved to tell and write stories of love and commitment, loved to mentor up and coming writers, was as southern as moonlight and magnolias, and firmly believed in happy endings---she wouldn't have had it any other way.