Ann Marie Sanchez

Ann Marie “Missy” Sanchez, age 79, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 19th at home, after a life spent helping people find their way in the world.

Missy is survived by her son J. Scott Sanchez, daughter-in-law Christin Sanchez, grandchildren Ryan and Riley Sanchez, and her daughter Suzanna Sanchez Doyle and son-in-law Ryan Doyle.

Missy was born December 12, 1944, in Little Rock, Arkansas as the only child to Cladie and Lamar Alford, where she realized that her life was richer when she was surrounded by friends. Missy graduated from the University of Arkansas, was the President of her sorority Zeta Tau Alpha, and proudly called the hogs as a Razorback cheerleader. These experiences foreshadowed that her life would be spent cheering on and helping people to maximize their potential. She married Lorenzo “Larry” Sanchez on August 16, 1969, in Little Rock and, after a brief stint in Puerto Rico, they settled in Atlanta to build their lives together.

Missy spent all 34 years of her career at Woodward Academy, a K-12 private school in Atlanta that fundamentally believes in “Every Opportunity for Every Student.” Missy took that to heart and built the college counseling department from the ground up into a model admired nationally. She passionately believed that every student had potential and she worked tirelessly for each and every Woodward War Eagle to help them find their right fit for college and realize all of the opportunities ahead of them after leaving Woodward.

Missy loved her work, loved to travel, and loved the theater and the arts. Through it all, it was the people around her that mattered most and helped her to live life to the fullest. She was married to her beloved husband Larry for 50 years, until his passing in 2019. Her colleagues at Woodward and beyond became lifelong friends. Given Missy’s unquenchable thirst to see new places, she frequently traveled with dear friends and having never met a stranger in her life, made new ones along the way. In her later years, she loved weekly family dinners, laughing and playing games with her children and grandchildren, immersing herself in her loving Lenbrook community, and long chats with friends who dropped by. Missy had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way, and, while everyone touched by Missy would say what a wonderful person and beacon of light and warmth she was, Missy appreciated them even more.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 2:00pm at the Woodward Academy Chapel at 1693 Rugby Avenue in College Park, Georgia, and she will be buried in 2025 with her husband Larry at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

In honor of Missy’s life’s work, the family suggests making a donation to Woodward Academy at http://www.woodward.edu/giving/missysanchez – where the family is planning to honor Missy’s legacy of helping students find their way in the world.