Sandra Faye Stewart

She graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, with a B.A. in Elementary Education, where she met the love of her life, Donald Archibald Stewart, a law student from Passaic, New Jersey. They married in Alabama in 1968, and moved to Sarasota in 1970, where they created a wonderful life together.

Sandi was devoted to her community and exemplified the spirit of volunteerism. After moving to Sarasota, she quickly became a lasting part of the fabric of the community through her leadership in many organizations including the Junior League of Sarasota, serving as Treasurer, “Fare by the Sea” Cookbook Chair, and a member of multiple committees as an active and sustaining member for over forty years. She was extremely involved in her children’s activities and served as the President of the Gulf Gate Elementary PTA and the Treasurer of the Sarasota YMCA Sharks.

Her incredible service as a volunteer in Sarasota led her to the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. For a remarkable 23 years, she devoted herself to the Girl Scouts, empowering young girls to become confident leaders. Over the years, she served as the finance director for eleven years and the CEO for twelve years from 1998-2010. During her tenure as the CEO, Sandi accomplished incredible milestones, leaving an indelible mark on the organization, including the groundbreaking $7.8 million capital campaign. Through her visionary leadership, two LEED-certified facilities were established on the Searcy G. Koen Regional Girl Scout Campus in Sarasota. These spaces now stand as symbols of Sandi’s commitment to both the environment and the growth of the Girl Scouts.

Sandi retired in 2010 and continued her legacy of volunteerism. Her husband, Don, received an LVAD device in 2011, and she jumped in to serve on the Board of Directors of the Beat After Beat Heart Foundation affiliated with Tampa General Hospital. She also served on the Board and as the Chair of Community Youth Development (CYD), on the Board of Samaritan, and as a member of Selby Foundation’s Scholarship Selection Committee, in addition to many other organizations. Sandi was a devoted member of Church of the Palms, where she served as an Elder and on many committees.

In addition to her devotion to her community, Sandi was so proud of her children, Donald Gregory Stewart and his wife April of Franklin, TN, and Allison Stewart Foster and her husband Patrick of Sarasota, FL. She was also the proud grandmother of four incredible grandchildren, Jamieson and Maddy Stewart, and Reese and Brady Foster.

A family service will be held at the Sarasota National Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest next to her loving husband. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, 4780 Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota, FL 34233, or Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34239.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Church of the Palms for all to attend, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34239 on August 5, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. followed by a reception.

For online tributes, please visit www.rtsfunerals.com