Sandra Goodwin Aytes, 82, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones on December 11, 2024. Sandra was born on October 14, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Dorothy Goodwin.

She accepted Jesus as her Savior in her teen years and remained a faithful follower throughout her life, which was marked by her kindness, love, and generosity. She was a member of First Baptist Church Concord in Farragut, TN, where she sang in the choir, served in multiple church ministries, and traveled with international mission teams to Chile, Nicaragua, China, Thailand, Morocco, and Ireland.

Sandra loved music, and in addition to singing in church choirs from her youth, she also sang with the Sweet Adelines and competed in a state championship as a member of both the chorus and a quartet.

Sandra married Roland Willis Aytes, Jr. on December 27, 1974, and was a loving, wonderful mother to her four children as well as a devoted grandmother of 14.

Over the years she worked in the bookstore at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in Memphis, Tennessee, at the library at Memphis Preparatory School, where her children were students, and at Cedar Springs Christian Bookstore in Knoxville, Tennessee. She always enjoyed engaging with the many people she met and worked with in each of her jobs and was well-known for her friendly, smiling face.

Sandra is survived by many who will miss her gracious presence: Roland Willis Aytes, Jr., her husband of 50 years; her children Don Overall (Gabby), Amy McCrady (Rob), Daniel Aytes (Rachel), and Matthew Aytes (Holly); her grandchildren Corey Overall, Haley Overall, Riley Overall, Kelsey Overall, Shelby Overall, Allison Beason (Grayson), Evan McCrady (fiancée Emma), Taylor Aytes, Caleb Aytes, Madison Aytes, Hannah Aytes, Laura Aytes, Amanda Aytes, and Cara Aytes; and her great-grandchildren Aiden Overall and Colter Beason.

The family will hold a private graveside service on Friday, December 20, with Schubert Funeral Home in Wartburg, TN handling the arrangements. Additionally, the family will plan a celebration of life service to be held at First Baptist Church Concord in January, with the time and date to be announced at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to either First Baptist Concord Missions or Samaritan’s Purse.

First Baptist Concord

Att: Missions

11704 Kingston Pike

Knoxville, TN 37934

Give

Samaritan’s Purse

PO Box 3000

Boone, NC 28607

828.262.1980

Donate Online