Georgia Southern Remembers Former Georgia First Lady Betty Foy Sanders

Georgia Southern University lost a devoted and cherished supporter with the death of former Georgia first lady Betty Foy Sanders.

An accomplished artist, Sanders had a lifelong interest in arts education and in Georgia Southern. She leaves behind her own artwork as well as the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection, an assemblage of talented artists from across the state, which is on permanent display at the Center for Art and Theatre on the Statesboro Campus.

“Mrs. Sanders’ legacy is one of generosity and caring for a lifelong pursuit of creativity,” said Jeff Garland, chair of the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt). “She cared that the next generation would engage in the world through art and provided the means to make this happen. Mrs. Sanders’ generous spirit could be seen in the works, many of her own, found throughout the Center for Art and Theatre. She shared the Georgia Artists collection in the hope to connect more students to the creative tenacity found in the residents all over Georgia.”

Sanders was born into one of Bulloch County’s founding families. She studied for a year at Georgia Southern before transferring to the University of Georgia where she met her husband, former Gov. Carl Sanders. When he was in office from 1963 to 1967, she dedicated her efforts toward the construction of several fine arts buildings in the University System of Georgia. One of those was the Foy Fine Arts Building on Georgia Southern’s campus, named for her father, J.P. Foy.

“As an artist and prominent woman in Georgia society, Betty Foy Sanders understood the importance of supporting the arts,” said John Kraft, Ph.D., interim dean of the Georgia Southern College of Arts and Humanities. “Her artistic and philanthropic legacy lives on with every Georgia Southern student and faculty member in the Department of Art that bears her name. I wish I had the opportunity to thank her again for her love of the Georgia Southern arts program and her far-reaching contributions to the state of Georgia.”

Her paintings are found in museums, corporations and private collections around the South, including the Georgia Governor’s Mansion. For many years, the advocate for the advancement of the arts and art education quietly supported students in the BFSDoArt providing scholarships, equipment and other financial support, including a $500,000 gift from the estate of her late husband to the art department in 2015.

“Mrs. Sanders shared her love for art but more importantly her love of learning,” said Garland. “She always talked about how learning happens beyond the classroom and placed a high value on travel to engage with art as well as learning about the rich history of the state she loved so dearly, Georgia. Mrs. Sanders provided this opportunity for students to learn through travel with scholarships and a recently purchased bus. Her recent “doodles” were the inspiration for the decoration on the bus and demonstrated her commitment to continuing to grow as an artist.”

Sanders was 95-years-old at the time of her death, and left an impression on everyone she met.

“Many know her as a former first lady to Georgia’s 74th governor, Carl Edward Sanders Sr., but I knew her as a friend, longtime supporter, and namesake to the Georgia Southern Department of Art,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “I was blessed to meet with her several times, and as many around her know, once you spend some time with Betty Foy Sanders, you never forget her spark, passion and love for art.”

I remember when I first met Mrs. Sanders. After about 15 minutes, I felt that I had known her my whole life. She could discuss anything and always had an opinion on each subject. Mrs. Sanders ability to connect with the people around her and share in their stories was unmatched. We sat down for lunch and she served us a traditional southern lunch with fried chicken and sweet tea. The setting was very formal so Mrs. Sanders saw me hesitate as the chicken was served and leaned over with a smile and said, we eat chicken with our hands. Somehow, she knew I was contemplating that fact, and I was. She made me feel at ease and I truly enjoyed Mrs. Sanders’ humor and the conversation never faded. I had many conversations with Mrs. Sanders over the four years I knew her and they were always as lively and vibrant as the first.
— Jeff Garland