Sandra Ruth Haley Felton's Obituary
Sandra Ruth Haley Felton was born on August 5, 1935, in Memphis, TN. She passed from this life into her heavenly home on June 12, 2026, at the age of 90. Sandra was preceded in death by her mother Maude Alice Wilson Haley, her father Louis Haley, her brother Preston Haley, her husband Ivan Emerson Felton, her son Peter Allen Felton and her son-in-law Hubert Lamar Townley, Jr. She is survived by her daughter Lucretia (Lucy) Ruth Townley and her son Douglas Scott Felton with his wife Linda, grandchildren Cody Lamar Townley, Ethan Lee Townley, Ryan Douglas Felton (Julia), Haley Felton Muse (Josh), and her great granddaughter, Ella Faye Townley.
Sandra and Ivan were married 60 years at the time of his death in 2017. They spent most of their years together in Miami raising their three children. Sandra had a master’s degree in special education from the University of Miami and taught junior high and high school for many years. While teaching full time, Sandra wrote dozens of books on household organization and started Messies Anonymous, an organization to help people gain control of their cluttered homes. She traveled around the country and around the world doing television and radio interviews and teaching the principles of organization she had developed.
Sandra loved beauty in art and the written word. She was a prolific painter and was active in poetry groups when she retired. She also loved quoting hymns and Scripture. As she got older and life became more difficult, she often quoted the line “the world is too much with us” from the poem by the same name from William Wordsworth.
When Sandra was a young person, her uncle shared with her the gospel, and she put her faith in Jesus Christ. She made it her goal to tell as many people as she could about the Lord while going about the business of life. Sandra wanted everybody to know and accept the Good News of Jesus as she had. Sandra will be missed by family and friends.
Funeral Services for Sandra will be held at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church Alachua 14005 NW 146th Ave, Alachua, FL 32615 on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Newnansville Cemetery located at 12308 W State Rd 235, Alachua, FL 32615
What’s your fondest memory of Sandra?
What’s a lesson you learned from Sandra?
Share a story where Sandra's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Sandra you’ll never forget.
How did Sandra make you smile?