Sandra Lee Sansone

Sandra Lee Sansone, 79, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to many passed away on Saturday, February 24, 2024, peacefully, surrounded by her husband of 57 years and her 3 children, in Bartlett, TN. Affectionally known as Mammaw, being a mother and grandmother brought her the most joy. She treasured her family and embraced every moment with them. Her family was her world, and she was their biggest cheerleader.

Sandra was born to the late Edward and Louise Smith on August 16, 1944, in Greenville, MS. After moving with her parents and siblings from Greenville to New York and finally settling in Memphis, TN, Sandra was a member of the first graduating class at St. Louis Catholic Elementary School. In 1963, she graduated high school from The Sacred Heart School. She attended Siena College in Memphis.

Sandra married Fred Dean Sansone, Sr. in 1967 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Memphis and worked as a Reservations Agent for Delta Airlines for three years as they started their family. She began working for the Internal Revenue Service in Memphis in 1973 and, after 34 years, retired as a Customer Service Manager in 2007.

Sandra was a woman led by her unwavering faith. Her belief was a guiding light in her life, shaping her actions and relationships. Sandra and her family became members of St. Ann Catholic Church when they moved to Bartlett in 1973, where she volunteered for the church and school for most of her life. Among so many others, she was a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Grief & Bereavement Ministry, and the Ministry of the Sick. As her children were in elementary school, you could often find her volunteering as a room parent, Girl Scout troop leader, Cub Scout troop leader, lunchroom volunteer, and a proud member of the church's “homemade ravioli making” group.

In her life, Sandra embodied a spirit of selflessness and unwavering compassion. She loved to love on people and was always ready with a kind word, a comforting hug, or a helping hand. Her heart was as big as her smile, and she lived to share both with everyone she met.

Sandra had a special place in her heart for animals. She couldn't bear to see any creature suffer, and on numerous occasions (much to her husband's dismay), she would bring home abandoned cats and dogs, giving them a second chance at a happy life.

Sandra was an enthusiastic reader who passed on her love of reading to her children and grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity to be a guest reader at her grandchildren’s school and never missed a “Grandparents Day.”

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Edward Eugene Smith Sr. and Anna Louise Hedgecock Smith, both of Greenville, MS; her brothers, Edward Eugene Smith Jr. of Richmond, VA, and Terrance Michael Smith of Memphis, TN; and her sisters: Margaret Elaine Holoubek of Shreveport, LA and Mary Louise Connor of Memphis, TN.

She is survived by her husband, Fred Dean Sansone, Sr. of Bartlett, TN; her daughter Regina Anne Gray (Mike) of Holly Springs, NC; her sons: Fred Dean Sansone, Jr. (Sarah) of Holly Springs, NC, and Christopher Leon Sansone (Beth) of Bartlett TN, and six grandchildren: Abigail Brown, Allison Gray, Tyler Sansone, Ainsley Sansone, Laine Sansone and Margaret Sansone.

A memorial service is planned on Monday, March 4th, 2024, at St. Ann Catholic Church, 6529 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN. Visitation will begin at 4:00pm followed by a memorial Mass at 5:00pm. A private inurnment will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the church that meant so much to her - St. Ann Catholic Church in Bartlett, TN (www.stannbartlett.org).