I am very sorry for your loss. She was my therapist for many, many years. She was an amazing woman and someone I considered a friend. The world is missing another guiding light.

When I met Sandy I was in a very dark part of my life, she was my weekly light and helped me through the toughest time of my life. We always joked that if we were not client/ therapist we would be the best of friends. Even after my time was done I would periodically in the years to follow return to see her when life was challenging. She always knew what I needed to hear and till this day I can hear voice  reminding me of the many things she taught me. At the time she was diagnosed I was a client and very quickly after became a friend. We spent many days together on house projects, lunching, a few doctor appointments but most of all much love and laughter between us. She never stopped being my therapist because it simply was who she was.  I am so grateful to be able to say she was a Mentor but most of all a friend. One whom I am missing dearly! She was a fighter and her outlook was always positive and her light rarely dimmed...Sandy impacted my life in a way no words could ever express, my prayer is that she knew how very much she was love and respected. 

Posted on behalf of Sherry MacGregor: 

     I never imagined that I would be writing something like this. While I am not there today, my heart and love are.

I will be forever grateful for the few days I was able to spend with her before she passed. I also thank you

all for being here and showing your love for Sandy.

Sandy was the 1st best friend I ever had. We were inseparable. So close in age that we called each other

twinnie. Once we moved to Anaheim, she made a friend named Patty, but I didn't need to worry because they included me

That's when the crazy shenanigans began. We were like little Oliver Twists'. Always looking for Candy or any coins we could

get from people, of course, to buy candy. We would make up scavenger hunts, go-go dance in an alley behind

a bar so they could toss quarters to us. We were so weird, but we had so much fun. At one time there was a T.V. show

called Honey West. We loved that show. She was a cop or something. Anyway, the three of us are at Cindy's Ice Cream

Parlor (of course) and a policeman came in. Well, we decide to ask him if he had a crime that we could help him solve.

What a nice guy, he told us yes. We went to a shop a few doors down and he told us that it happened there. I don't

remember all the details but he thanked us for helping him solve it. Man, we were so excited!!! So sweet of him.

It wasn't just all childhood; it is a lifelong hood. We always looked out for one another and had each other's back.

Of course we would have fights, we are siblings. Let me tell you, she could kick my butt every time, but if anyone came after

one of us, not happening. The funny part that I am actually laughing about writing this now is....

Neither of us knew how to fight!! However, we did know how to talk ourselves out of one. Well, a lot more than one. We had our share of fun memories. They might not have been fun at the moment, but we sure did laugh about them later.

I remember when we were at a carnival, on the egg-beater ride. It was horrible, every time we went by the guy we would

scream at him to stop. He would respond with " just a little bit faster". We would laugh so much about that later. Every story that we shared always ended up with us laughing.

I remember the last time I went to visit Sandy, Paul was visiting family and I flew down for the weekend to stay with her

and paint Paul's closet. The last evening, we were sitting on the couch, surrounded by cats, and she had beautiful tea lights

lit. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I will miss her forever. I will always have her in my memories and in my heart.

We will always be best friends forever.

Love you my twinnie

'

Our deepest condolences to Andrea, Paul and the family. May she rest in eternal peace. 

Posted on behalf of Sandy's sister-in-law Peggy Price

When I think of Sandy, I think of the way she made everything beautiful. I call it the Sandy touch. If you were fortunate enough to receive a gift from her, it would be wrapped so exquisitely that I almost didn’t want to open it. And when I did, there was always something beautiful inside. Many of those treasures still adorn my home.

Sandy was the sister I never had. She created such a warm and welcoming home for herself and Paul. We shared so many lovely conversations, and we always shared our gratitude for our husbands. We knew they were the very best. I always knew I could confide in Sandy, trusting that she would listen with care and never betray my confidence.

Sandy loved her grandchildren, and they loved their Gigi. She was gentle and kind to all of us. And then there were the kitties—she and Paul made sure they were deeply loved and well cared for.

Sandy, I miss you. I know that as you have entered that portal of pure love, you have been welcomed into the Everlasting Arms. May God bless you on your way, as you have blessed all of us.

When I was a sophomore in high school, after seeing me perform for the first time, she mailed me my first and only piece of fan mail!! YES, she took the time to not only write that note but physically mail it. That is the epitome of who she was. Kind, selfless, thoughtful, and supportive🩷

Sandy was the world's best sister to me. In our text messages my reference for her was WBS. Now, when I want to hear her voice, I just say this and her voice echoes in reply. What a blessing!

She was a blessing to me and to many others. Her gentle ways, genuine kindness, and unfailing devotion to doing her part to make the world a better place are the hallmarks of her life; a life very well lived.

She made a real difference with her years because she focused on serving others, especially those in need (and cats). And she was a natural at it, having been given a generous heart along with a sharp mind and an engaging personality. We all experienced these qualities. To say she will be missed is an understatement. A Sequoia has fallen in the forest. 

For myself, carrying on will mean doing more for others, being more compassionate, and cherishing my memories of Sandy. She has now gone to a better place, a place where Angels sing. 

 

When I read Paul’s tribute to Sandy, I was struck by his comments about her beautiful hair.  That was one of the things I first noticed about her also, back in 1982.  Sandy and I were new flight attendants with a small airline based out of Long Beach, CA, called Jet America.  I’d seen her once or twice when she’d worn her long hair up, but one day we were saying hello and she was sporting a very stylish, new bob haircut.  It suited her so perfectly that I had to say something.  We became very good friends and had a million laughs.  Life took us in separate directions for many years, but I was thrilled when we got back in touch nearly 20 years ago.  Sandy and Paul became great friends of my husband Rick and myself.  We enjoyed many happy times together, dining out or on the McCandless’s “drive-io” (a lovely and comfortable space with Sandy’s touch clearly evident), and traveling together.

Sandy was a wonderful storyteller, and two of the best involved a family meal when she was a little girl who found “cake” in her ice cream that turned out to be a cigarette butt, and a hapless character she and Paul once encountered having bicycle trouble.  I’d try to recall them here in detail but would never do them justice.

Sandy’s religious faith and her endless kindness and great capacity to love made her a wonderful friend and I know her counseling clients benefitted from these traits as well as her empathy and insights into human behavior.  She took such great care of her beloved father during his last years.  He was the one who called her “Ladybug” and I loved seeing that portrayed on this website image.

If anyone deserves a place in heaven, it’s Sandy.  I miss her terribly and extend condolences to Paul, Dandy’s mother, sisters, and brother; Andrea and Kyle and their families; and all who love Sandy.

We met in Junior high school. We were both new girls. Her sister Debi knew my brother. We instantly hit it off. And we became besties ever since.