At an age that the family does not have approval to reveal, Sandra Key Taylor Ecker passed away peacefully on May 29, 2021 in her Atlanta home. Sandra was one of the few remaining people who could claim she was truly from Atlanta, Georgia. She was born in Atlanta to Lee and Rita Taylor, graduated from Sylvan High School and studied at Georgia State University.
Anyone who met Sandra could not help but notice her sense of style, beauty, charming personality and a smile that would light up the room. These intrinsic traits led her as a young adult to model locally and participate in various beauty contest including being crowned Miss Georgia Peach, Miss Congeniality at The Miss Atlanta Pageant, Miss Wake Radio, and Greek Week Queen at Georgia Tech where she met the love of her life, Allen. Sandra was happily married to Dr. H. Allen Ecker for 62 years.
In a time when it was not common for women to work out side of the home and the glass ceiling was firmly in place, Sandra applied her intelligence and determination to create a successful and productive career in business. She served as Executive Assistant to Dr. Pierce Harris at Atlanta First United Methodist Church before moving on to being Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice President of Research at the Federal Reserve in Atlanta. As anyone who has worked in corporate America knows, a great executive assistant is more than just an assistant. She also managed to be the Registrar at the Heiskell School while raising her three children.
Sandra was always up for an adventure and enjoyed traveling the world with Allen for business and pleasure. One of her most memorable trips was to China in 1989 when the Chinese government had just opened the country to foreigners. At that time Sandra and Allen attended an economic development trip to establish a relationship between the telecommunications industry in the US and the Chinese government.
An excellent tennis player, Sandra won multiple ALTA team championships and had a wicked backhand. Her love of Tennis and Allen’s love of Georgia Tech combined with their joint belief in the benefit and value of a good education inspired them to endow two tennis scholarships at Georgia Tech, one for the women’s team and one for the men’s team. She also inherited a passion for golf from her father and enjoyed playing the challenging courses at Sandestin.
Sandra relied on the spiritual camaraderie and fellowship of her friends at Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church. She was a proud member of Circle 7 which she chaired along with chairing the North Georgia Conference of United Methodist Women. She was also a regular volunteer at Scottish Rite Hospital.
Sandra was preceded in death by Stephen Mark Ecker (son), Atha (Granny) Key Ayers, Cable Lee Taylor (father), Eldarado “Rita” Taylor (mother), and Donald Taylor (brother), and Wayne Taylor (brother).
Sandra is survived by Dr. H. Allen Ecker (spouse), children Sharon “Holli” Ecker, and Mike Ecker (Carolyn), Siblings - Linda Claud, Peggy Robinson, Ronnie Taylor, Charlie Taylor, Cathy Curbow, and Becky Gossett, grandchildren - Taylor Ecker Borgerding (Cory), Brooke Ecker Hulsey (Luke), Chatman Ecker, and Blair Ecker, great grandchildren - Knox Allen Borgerding, and Lennox Gail Hulsey.
On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 a visitation will be held at H. M. Patterson & Son – Oglethorpe Hill Chapel from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. A celebration of Sandra’s life will be officiated by Reverend Will Zandt at 2:00PM on Thursday June 3, 2021 at Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church. A private burial will follow at Arlington Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church to support their outreach programs. The family wishes to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks for the support, dignity and loving care provided by Camellia and Tony Foster, Diane Johnson, Pearlita Wedderburn, as well as Lee and Valrie Malcom.
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