Bagley-Evans, Forest Park councilwoman, dead at 58

Sandra J. Bagley-Evans, 58, who served as city councilwoman for Forest Park’s Ward 3 from 2016 to 2020, died in her sleep at home early Tuesday. According to her husband, Carl Evans, the medical examiner said she died of natural causes. He asked The Clayton Crescent to hold the news of her death Tuesday so that members of her family who had not yet been notified would not learn about it on Facebook.

Today, numerous friends and family are sharing their condolences online.

The city lowered flags to half-staff in Bagley-Evans’ honor late Tuesday. On Wednesday, the city issued this statement via Facebook:

“The City of Forest Park is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of former Forest Park City Councilwoman Sandra Bagley. For years, Councilwoman Bagley represented Ward 3 with extreme pride and joy, while also demonstrating a true sense of passion for the citizens of Forest Park. To commemorate her extraordinary life, we have ordered all flags at city hall to fly at half-staff. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends and those in our beloved community who she graciously served.”

An avid animal lover, Bagley-Evans attended Perimeter South Christian Academy and Tabernacle Christian School before attending Clayton State University. She worked at the Pizza Clinic of Chiropractic for 15 years and handled patient insurance, then became office manager at Ahmed Family Practice while serving on the city council. Most recently, she worked with Best of Clayton County.

Bagley-Evans loved the beach and was especially fond of the Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach. She and Carl Evans, a CERT volunteer and fixture at city council meetings, fell in love and he said that she insisted on getting married on the beach.

In recent months, Evans said, her health had deteriorated and she didn’t get out as much. Before, Bagley-Evans was an energetic and social woman-about-town, greeting friends and neighbors on the street as she made her rounds. The day before she died, Evans said, she had resisted going to the doctor. He said she had passed away overnight and that her dog had not left her side.

According to Evans, she “died the day her daddy died” and never got over his loss.

As an elected official, Bagley-Evans brought food trucks, an event that has proven popular with residents, to Forest Park. As a private citizen, she regularly distributed food to those in need. In her spare time, she cared for stray dogs, cats, and birds; worked on her genealogy files; scooped up antiques and collectibles; and spent time with her family.

Early in her term, Bagley-Evans often voted with Tommy Smith and Allan Mears and against Dabouze Antoine and Latresa Akins-Wells. Her first major action involved moving to consider a request to remove Felicia Davis from the Urban Redevelopment Authority after Davis questioned the city’s relationship with Robinson Weeks, which brought tenants to what is now Gillem Logistics Center.

Bagley-Evans also defended the choice of the council to name the community center for former City Manager Frank Brandon in the last days of former Mayor David Lockhart’s administration. When the council flipped from a white to a Black majority under Mayor Angelyne Butler’s administration, the center was renamed in honor of the late Leonard Hartsfield, Sr., who was instrumental in breaking the color barrier in league baseball and in the city itself. At the time, Bagley said the previous council had thought of naming a street in Starr Park for Hartsfield and that she felt the name change was “retaliatory.” The new council replaced Brandon’s name with Hartsfield’s.

In 2019, when asked how she resolved conflict, Bagley-Evans replied, “Agree to disagree respectfully, listening to different viewpoints but still conducting my own research.”

Bagley-Evans challenged the results of the 2019 municipal election, saying she was less worried about losing to Héctor Gutierrez than about how the election had been run, but that case was dismissed in Clayton County Superior Court.

In that matter and others, political or personal, Bagley-Evans was not one to hold a grudge. She would state her mind but treated those around her with kindness, regardless of political differences.

Bagley-Evans leaves behind her husband, Carl Evans; her mother, brothers, cousins, and niece; and numerous friends.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:3- p.m. at Thomas L. Scroggs, Morrow. A graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at Fairview Memorial Gardens. Dr. Tommy Aman will officiate. A GoFundMe to help with expenses is forthcoming. We will link it here.