Sandra Sandy Anne Arvanitis

Sandra (Sandy as most of her friends and acquaintances called her, “honey” to me) was a one-of-a-kind woman. Most that met or knew Sandy found her to be a charming woman with a warm personality and compassionate heart. Her beauty and radiant smile could light up a room. Backed by a refreshing sense of humor, Sandy attracted the attention of others.

Sandy Klein began her life in Milwaukee, surrounded and raised by a close and loving family. As the youngest of four siblings, she experienced the idyllic 50’s upbringing that so many middleclass baby boomers enjoyed. Sandy blossomed in the 60’s, a time that would help shape the woman she would become. She had dreams of getting involved in interior design, health and beauty, and modeling. Her innate sense of color and design would have served her well in any of these fields. She could have done or become anything that she truly wanted.

Sandy’s adult life was punctuated by lots of moves to such big cities as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego, to name a few. This gave her a broad and unique perspective on American life. She loved experiencing all that these cities had to offer especially shopping and the museums in Chicago and New York. She liked to travel. Our trips to Hawaii and Italy left an indelible impression on her. At the same time she also like exploring the small towns and villages that we often lived around. Carmel, CA and Grand Haven, MI were very special to her.

Sandy had a passion for music, art, fashion and beauty, crossword puzzles and Jumble. She was a voracious reader who liked a wide variety of genres, but her favorites were fantasy, forensics and history. She read several books a month, often times two or three at a time. She had an incredible grasp of the subjects that she read about and her recall of the books that she read served as a foundation for fascinating conversations about these books.

Sandy was highly intelligent, very sensitive and unbelievably intuitive, almost to the point of being fragile. She had an infallible memory especially when it came to her recall of personal and family events. She was also a very organized woman, keen on detail. Our homes reflected this along with her warmth and sense of color and decorating style. Each one was kept meticulously neat and clean. Her family jokingly called her “WALL-E” (after the character in the movie) because of her endless penchant for keeping things clean and organized.

Sandy was a loving and caring mother to our three children and loving Grandma/Nana to our three grandchildren. A day never went by where we didn’t talk about our children or grandchildren. They were all central to her well-being. As her children’s lives went, so did hers. She cherished the time she spent with her grandchildren and looked forward to watching them grow.

My wife and I were together for over 35 years. She was my close companion – my love, my life. I’m proud to say she was instrumental in the success that I had in the corporate world. She helped a wild young man with potential become a successful, professional business man by teaching me how to focus my passion. She mentored me on how to dress for success and how to temper my untamed enthusiasm.

I will forever miss Sandy’s keen insight and perspective. I will forever miss her refreshing sense of humor. I will forever miss her soft touch and love. I will forever miss my best friend and wife. May her soul go on forever. Rest in peace, honey.

Arrangements under the direction of Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel FD 800, Lower Lake, CA.