Evelyn Dees Williams Sandlin

Evelyn Dees Williams Sandlin

Evelyn Sandlin, 93, of Hamilton, Ala., passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Sunset Manor Nursing in Guin. She was born to Willie Bonds Dees and Leaffer Lavert Warren Dees on Aug. 1, 1932.
In early years, they followed the stave mill camps and then settled in Red Bay, Ala.
She met B.F. Williams, and they were wed Aug. 9, 1953. They had one daughter, Deborah Lynn, who married Ricky Sullins in Jan. 1976. B.F. plowed a mule and made crops and gardens to assist Evelyn who worked at Toll Gate Garment.
B.F. was ill for their entire marriage and passed away after 19 years in Jan. 1974. Evelyn was introduced to Earnest “Guy” Sandlin and married him in May 1976. She drove 28 miles to visit him in the nursing home 4-7 days a week, and he passed after 36 years of marriage.
Ricky and Debbie had one daughter, Kelley Ryan, who passed in Jan. of 1993. This devastated Evelyn, and she was never the same
Evelyn worked hard, long hours at Toll Gate and in season, worked the gardens on her off hours to feed and preserve for her family. She was the consummate caregiver for the better part of 55 years beginning in 1957, caring for B.F.‘s mother (Samantha) and ending with Guy’s death in 2012. Evelyn worked over 35 years at Toll Gate and established many great friends and relationships there. She spoke of them as long as her memory would cooperate.
Her pleasures were growing vegetable and flower gardens, sewing (appliqué and quilts). For years monthly, she made lap quilts for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. She loved to cook, fish and eating them. She loved to get manicures, loved coffee biscuit, was a chocoholic for years and loved all flowers and animals. She had plenty of pictures of both. Evelyn loved God and her church. She prayed for everyone; she always asked God to give everybody a happy life and save the ones she was concerned about.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ricky and Debbie Sullins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, B.F. Williams (19 years) and Earnest “Guy” Sandlin (36 years); her granddaughter, Kelley Ryan Sullins; her brother, W.B. Dees; and sister, Una V. Rayburn.
Her funeral was Aug. 4, 2026, from the Hamilton Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was at the New Hope FWB Church between her husbands.

Debbie Sullins