Sheila Hunt Hornsby Twombly

Mrs. Sheila Hunt Hornsby Twombly, age 93, of East Church Street, Sandersville, passed away on Friday, July 4, 2025, at Washington County Extended Care Facility following an extended illness.  She was born in 1931 in London, England, and was raised in the town of Stanmore (north London).  She came to America in 1956 with her first husband, Ray Hornsby, and entered Bethel College in St Paul, MN, where she graduated in 1960.   Ray finished the same year at the University of Minnesota, and they moved to Pasadena, CA, where Ray began study for the ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. Ray nearly finished at Fuller when, tragically, he died in a single weekend of leukemia.  Sheila's second husband, Charles Twombly, met her in 1965, three years after Ray's death, and they married in 1970 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena. They moved to Sandersville, GA, that same year where Sheila and Charles taught for nearly thirty years in the newly integrated public school system. After retirement, Sheila became a highly valued substitute teacher and an evening teacher of history at the Sandersville campus of GMC until 2015.  Prior to her retirement, she received her M.Ed. from Georgia College in 1978 and helped put her husband through a Ph.D. program at Emory University.  Together, they raised two children.

She was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, Sandersville, GA, the Sandersville Music Club, the Washington County Historical Society, and The Sorosis Club.

Sheila is survived by her husband of almost 55 years, Charles; her children: Elizabeth Lee Olson (Eric) of Macon and Ian of Atlanta; grandson, James Olson; sister-in-law, Sandra Hunt of Nottingham, England; nieces, Alexa Rees (Owen) of Nottingham, Sarah Hunt (Jeremy) of Lansing, England, and Kate Wittig (Ron) of Troy, VA; nephew, Steve Tattum (Macarena) of Sterling, Virginia; and numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She is preceded in death by her father, Charles; her mother, Sarah; and her brother, John. She is also survived by Charles's siblings, nephews and nieces and their families living primarily in California and Tennessee.  Former relatives Jerry and Liz Tattum live near Charlottesville, VA.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to family, friends, our church family at Grace Episcopal Church, and her care team at ECF and Pruitt Health Hospice (Swainsboro) for the excellent care and comfort they provided during her illness.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, (the couple’s wedding anniversary) at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church with Father Steve Clifton officiating. The family will receive friends following the service in the church’s Parish Hall. The public is invited, especially former students.

The family suggests donations may be made to Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 771, Sandersville, GA 31082.

Condolences may be made online at www.mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com

May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.