Sandra Coleman

Sandra Diane Coleman, affectionately known as Sandy, was born on May 13, 1955 in San Bernardino, CA at St. Bernardine Medical Center. She would often say her claim to fame was being born the year Disneyland opened. She passed onto Heaven comfortably in her home with her loving family around her on April 26, 2026 at 70 years old. She was the second born daughter to her parents, the late Roy Weldon Martin (retired San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff) and Sue Baldwin (a loving mother and homemaker), who met in Colorado Springs while Roy was in the Air Force. She is survived by her older sister Sharon Pushe, her step sister Cindy Post (best friend and sister), her loving children Christina Inlow, Cara Grimwood, Michael Brian Coleman, 10 precious grandchildren and a host of dear extended family and friends.

Sandy lived her early years in 29 Palms with her parents but the majority of her childhood and young adult years she lived in Colton, CA with her dad and stepmom, Barbara Martin. She loved her childhood summers visiting her grandparents Harvey and Ruby Martin often reminiscing on her adventures with the cousins and learning to sew with Grandma Ruby.

Sandy shared a special memory of roadtripping with her parents to Colorado to visit her mother’s parents, Lois Elizabeth Eells - Baldwin and Grandfather Paul Baldwin, where they made seltzer lemonade from Manatu Springs in Colorado.

As Sandy grew up, she worked at the family Foster Freeze saying that job inspired her to go to college after high school. She joined the Girls Athletic Association at Colton High School and was chosen as most valuable player on the Badminton team for winning first place in the doubles category with her sister, Cindy. She graduated from Colton High School in 1973 with Highest Honors.

After high school, she went on to earn her Associates Degree in Nursing from San Bernardino Valley College in 1975 and became a nurse in 1977 at 22 years old. She later earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing through Holy Names University.

Sandy met Michael Coleman at Community Hospital of San Bernardino in 1979 where they both worked as Registered Nurses in the Emergency Dept. They were married, moved to Yucaipa, CA and had 3 children together: Christina, Cara and Brian. Sandy enjoyed many activities with her children, such as volleyball and softball with the twins and hockey with Brian. During their childhood she volunteered as an Awana Leader for many years, guiding her children to accept Jesus’ as their Savior and to know God's unconditional fatherly love through learning Bible verses every week.

Sandy continued to work at San Bernardino Community Hospital for the next 42 years, starting as a CNA then RN in the ICU as a young nurse, then moving to the Emergency Department where she advanced as a Charge Nurse and Paramedic Liaison Nurse (PLN). She would reminisce on how fun it was to banter with medics and teach the classes for the firefighter paramedics.

During her nursing career, she would share stories of humble heroism from caring for someone dropped off with a gunshot wound to washing a homeless patients' feet; from mentoring student nurses and new grads with kindness and patience to caring for specific populations that needed tender care including pediatric and psychiatric populations, that she would often be assigned to in her later years. It was these stories that inspired her daughter, Christina Inlow, to become a nurse as well. Before Sandy passed her granddaughter, Alyssa Inlow, also continued the family tradition and became a 3rd generation BSN - prepared nurse.

What a legacy Sandy instilled in the family through the generations serving the community and sharing God’s love through the nursing profession. She will be honored by the Nurse Honor Guard for her “final call of duty” to honor her lifetime of service to her community through nursing.

In her later years, she loved the role of Grandma and Chief Creative Officer for her 10 beautiful grandchildren - Alyssa, Justin, Richie, Ellie, Aubrey, Evie, Iris, Rory, Isaiah & Imogen. She loved doing various activities like crafts, sewing, and even going above and beyond for a Laura Ingalls Wilder day for all of her grandkids where they made butter, sewed their own patchwork quilt square, and ate homemade bread.

Sandy is our beloved mother and grandmother and she will be missed every day! We are grateful for her legacy of love and faith. Her favorite Bible verse was John 316: “For God, so love the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” We are thankful she is at perfect peace in the loving embrace of her Savior.