The Morgan County Citizen, October 3, 2017

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Mildred Owen Landry (Mrs. Sabin Landry)
Mildred was born in Locust Grove, GA on October 10, 1918, to Oma Holden Owen and James Erastus Owen. The family moved to Madison, GA in 1924, where her father taught at the old Agricultural & Mechanical (A&M) School and later served as County School Superintendent for all Morgan County schools, as well as selling real estate. Because of her father’s school and real estate work, Mildred met and grew to be friends with many of Morgan County’s residents over the years. Mildred completed all 11 public school years in Madison where she graduated in 1935. She also took piano lessons, starting in the 2nd grade and continuing until 1935, under Mrs. Martha Atkinson Rhodes.

Mildred graduated from Tift College in Macon, GA, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree and a music degree in piano in 1939. She was voted the most outstanding student each of her four years at Tift and was listed in the “Who’s Who” among students in American universities and colleges. She was Student Body Vice President all four years and elected as the “May Queen” her senior year. She taught school for a brief time in Morgan County, before being designated the first Associate Baptist Student Director for all Georgia colleges in 1940 with headquarters at the Georgia State College for Women. Mildred also studied for her Master’s Degree in psychology at the University of Georgia during the summers of 1940 through1942, but it was her job that introduced her to Sabin Landry of New Orleans.

On October 23, 1942, in what many at the time referred to as the “prettiest wedding” they had ever seen, Mildred and Sabin were married at the Madison Baptist Church. They started married life in New Orleans where Sabin was working as a lawyer. In 1943 Sabin joined the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. During the war they moved to San Antonio, TX, Hot Springs, AK, and finally Petersburg, VA where Sabin was stationed when the war ended. Mildred served in several supporting jobs at the various Army camps while Sabin was receiving, and later giving, training. Mildred and Sabin often remarked that the law may have saved Sabin’s life, as every time he got near an overseas deployment date the Army would hold him back to continue teaching Army Law wherever he was assigned. However, after the war Sabin and Mildred went to Louisville, KY where Sabin entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Sabin received his Doctor of Divinity and for the next 32 years he taught at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary during the week and on weekends preached in Kentucky or in neighboring states at churches that needed a temporary preacher. While in Louisville, Mildred taught at Parkland Jr. High School until she too retired. Mildred was a member of Louisville’s Crescent Hill Woman’s Club, where she served as Co-Chairman of the Garden Department and on the Executive Board. She also served as President of the Rock Creek Garden Club and Vice President of the Council of Federated Garden Clubs for the Beautification League of Louisville.

After retirement in the late 1970’s, Sabin and Mildred returned to Madison to help care for Mildred’s aging parents. Following Mildred’s father and mother passing in 1989 and 1990, respectively, they moved into the Owen family home on Academy Street and lived there until Sabin passed in 2011 and Mildred moved to assisted living.

Dr. and Mrs. Landry had no children and Mildred was predeceased by her parents, but both loved Madison and Morgan County and their many long-time friends and neighbors. They were members of the local Historical Society, the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, the Boxwood Garden Club, the Landmarks Society, and active in the Madison Baptist Church as long as they were able. Mildred was also a member of the “G.O.S.H.” (Girls Over Seventy, Honey) social group until they disbanded. She is survived by several first cousins, including Mary (Owen) Butler, Ruth (Owen) Beard, Samuel “Sonny” Owen, Jr., Huelene (Holden) Hughes, Betty (Wilbanks) Pitts, Lucille (Wilbanks) West, Linda (Wilbanks) Burch, and William Holden.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m. at the Madison Baptist Church with internment to follow at the Madison Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mildred’s memory may be made to the Madison Baptist Church, 328 S. Main St., Madison, GA 30650.