Sandra Lee Leaverton

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Netty and Gayland Hewett, and her brother and sister-in-law Rickey and Janis Leaverton. She also leaves behind her nieces and nephews and their children and spouses. Kayla Breaux (Rhiannon and Philip), Corey and Tiffini Leaverton (Cole), Rebekah and Jeffrey Lundberg (Dillon and Kate), Kelley Peterson (Wyatt), Jeffrey and Courtney Leaverton (Rachel), and Jonathan and Kathryn Leaverton (Tarryn, Ryleigh, and Emma).

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, brother (David), and maternal and paternal grandparents.

Sandy was born on October 31, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois to her parents Vaughn and Judy (Kelley) Leaverton. She moved to the great plains of Texas when she was very young and called Lubbock home through high school. She graduated from Monterey High School and moved to Denton to attend the University of North Texas. This would spark a lifelong journey of learning for Sandy, and her family often teased she was a “professional student”. She would go on to earn four bachelor's degrees (Education, Kinesiology, Science, and Psychology) and three master's degrees (Science, Counseling, and School Administration). These degrees would serve her well as she became a teacher. Her first year of teaching was at Newman Smith High School in Carrollton, Texas. She then moved to Richardson ISD where she would remain a faithful servant to the students for forty-seven years. She taught earth science, coached girls' volleyball and track, and eventually became a counselor. She worked for three campuses in the district before retiring in 2013. Somewhere along the way, she became a certified pharmacy technician just for good measure and worked part-time as a tech for twenty years.

Her love for her students was always evident and her peers referred to Sandy as “The Boss”. She loved helping her students grow and develop a love for learning themselves.

While Sandy remained in Dallas after college, she always loved Texas Tech. An avid sports fan she followed football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. She loved to watch the Baylor girls’ volleyball team as well. She always rooted for all the local teams as a Dallas Cowboys, Mavericks, and Texas Rangers fan. She and David had a tradition of going to the first game of the season each spring and she continued the tradition with Corey after her brother passed away.

Sandy loved to travel and always managed to make any trip memorable, whether she was shimming up a drainpipe in Germany to get back into her hotel room, backpacking through Italy, shooting down waterslides in Costa Rica, or bringing rocks back in her luggage (which is why she was shimming up a drainpipe in Germany), she lived life to its fullest.

Sandy always had great friends. She was involved with the Liberty Ladies, Supper Club, and The Barbabas Group. While she hosted supper club with full meals, we could count on her to bring spinach dip to every holiday function, prep apples for Thanksgiving pies, and make Martha Washingtons each year for Christmas. Family was everything to Sandy. She was very intentional about being involved in the lives of brothers and sister and their children. She may have taught for almost fifty years, but her nieces and nephews were her “kids”. She loved each of them and celebrated and encouraged them as only she could. She always wanted the best for each of them.

Everyone has a unique fingerprint so they can leave an imprint on this world that no one else can. Sandy’s imprint is certainly felt in her family, friends, co-workers, and students. Her presence here will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sandy’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Dementia Research, 110 Mesa Park Drive Suite 250 El Paso, TX 79912 https://www.alz.org/