1938
Sandra
2012
Sandra L. Godsey Cowand
October 8, 1938 — March 12, 2012
Sandra Lucile Godsey Cowand was born on October 8, 1938 to Fred C. and Leona Kemp Salyer Godsey in Bristol, TN, and died on March 12, 2012, also in Bristol, TN.
Born with the voice of an angel, Sandra began to sing locally as a child. At the age of sixteen she won a local talent contest as a member of a vocal trio called "The Debonaires". Sandra, her twin sister Sylvia, and friend Barbara Leonard traveled to Hollywood where they appeared on the CBS television show, "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show" in June of 1955. After returning home, Sandra hosted a regular radio program for station WCYB. The show was broadcast from the Paramount Theater in Bristol.
After high school, Sandra moved to New York City to pursue her career. She enjoyed many years singing and traveling with such famous bands as The Richard Maltby and The Buddy Morrow Orchestras. Throughout her career Sandra also sang under the names of Sandy Sherwood and Sandy Desert. In her later life, Sandra shared her musical stories and skills as part of a jazz music class at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, VA.
Sandra married fellow musician, Keith Zaharia, in Bristol in 1958. They built a home in Staten Island, NY, where they lived and worked. Sandra met and married her second husband, Joseph Caponetti, in San Bernardino, CA, in 1964. Third husband Elon Dale Cowand, of Dallas, TX, married his sweetheart, Sandra, in Las Vegas, NV, in 1979. Following Dale's, death, Sandra moved to Abingdon, VA and later to Meadowview, VA to care for her aging parents and older sister, Barbara.
Locally, Sandra leaves behind many wonderful friends who helped make her life such a joy. Family survivors include one daughter, Sandra E. Caponetti, and two grandchildren, Christopher J. Brown and Lacey A. Williams, all of the Highland, CA, area; one niece, Laura (Hirsch) Shouldice, of Firestone, CO; one nephew, Fred R. Hirsch of Tucson, AZ; and first cousins, The Rev. George M. Conn, Jr. of Bristol, TN, and Elizabeth (Bradford) Mijac and Mary Bradford of Lafayette, CO. Sandra also leaves behind the extended family of her late husband, Dale, and her precious dog, Patty.
A memorial service will be held, in Sandra's honor, at the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral & Cremation Service on Wednesday March 28, 2012 at 2:00P.M. with The Rev. George Conn, Jr. officiating. Visitation with the family will begin at 1:00P.M. prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Bristol in Sandra's name.
Family and friends are invited to meet at Ruby Tuesday, 3171 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA following the service to share food, drinks and memories. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com and singing the online guest book. The Cowand family is being cared for by Farris Funeral & Cremation Service, 427 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA, 24210, (276) 623-2700.
Born with the voice of an angel, Sandra began to sing locally as a child. At the age of sixteen she won a local talent contest as a member of a vocal trio called "The Debonaires". Sandra, her twin sister Sylvia, and friend Barbara Leonard traveled to Hollywood where they appeared on the CBS television show, "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show" in June of 1955. After returning home, Sandra hosted a regular radio program for station WCYB. The show was broadcast from the Paramount Theater in Bristol.
After high school, Sandra moved to New York City to pursue her career. She enjoyed many years singing and traveling with such famous bands as The Richard Maltby and The Buddy Morrow Orchestras. Throughout her career Sandra also sang under the names of Sandy Sherwood and Sandy Desert. In her later life, Sandra shared her musical stories and skills as part of a jazz music class at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, VA.
Sandra married fellow musician, Keith Zaharia, in Bristol in 1958. They built a home in Staten Island, NY, where they lived and worked. Sandra met and married her second husband, Joseph Caponetti, in San Bernardino, CA, in 1964. Third husband Elon Dale Cowand, of Dallas, TX, married his sweetheart, Sandra, in Las Vegas, NV, in 1979. Following Dale's, death, Sandra moved to Abingdon, VA and later to Meadowview, VA to care for her aging parents and older sister, Barbara.
Locally, Sandra leaves behind many wonderful friends who helped make her life such a joy. Family survivors include one daughter, Sandra E. Caponetti, and two grandchildren, Christopher J. Brown and Lacey A. Williams, all of the Highland, CA, area; one niece, Laura (Hirsch) Shouldice, of Firestone, CO; one nephew, Fred R. Hirsch of Tucson, AZ; and first cousins, The Rev. George M. Conn, Jr. of Bristol, TN, and Elizabeth (Bradford) Mijac and Mary Bradford of Lafayette, CO. Sandra also leaves behind the extended family of her late husband, Dale, and her precious dog, Patty.
A memorial service will be held, in Sandra's honor, at the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral & Cremation Service on Wednesday March 28, 2012 at 2:00P.M. with The Rev. George Conn, Jr. officiating. Visitation with the family will begin at 1:00P.M. prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Bristol in Sandra's name.
Family and friends are invited to meet at Ruby Tuesday, 3171 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA following the service to share food, drinks and memories. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com and singing the online guest book. The Cowand family is being cared for by Farris Funeral & Cremation Service, 427 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA, 24210, (276) 623-2700.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sandra L. Godsey Cowand, please visit our flower store.
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