This is about my mother, Sandra Lee Howard.  The only mother I knew of growing up.  I was adopted from Vietnam (from the Babylift in April of 1975.). My single mother Sandy  & grandma Violet raised me in little suburb town of Detroit, MI. My mother worked full time and my grandma was there when I came home from school, sewed, made meals etc. My mother put me in dance at age of 4 and I have passionately loved it since.
I have countless memories of my mom, grandma & me @ dance and school events & on family vacations - mainly to see my “Aunt Maxine & Uncle Joe” who had 4 children - Pam, Steve, Wendy & Deb. I was the baby of the family for 20 years until my cousin, Benjamin, came onto the scene.  I loved being a “mini aunt” to him as a baby. Then Peter, Charlie, Austin & Olivia were born.  I loved hangin’ out my cousins & “Up North” family.  
My beloved grandma, Violet,  died 2 weeks before my wedding in 1996. 
My mother retired from 3M when I was pregnant with my first born son in 1998, Joseph.  My mom & I spent many years together with shared memories as I had my 2nd son, Sam & adopted my daughter, Maile.  My little family & my mom moved to Texas.  We tried to begin a new life here.  Sadly, that came to a halt when I went through a bitter divorce and my mother was forced to choose sides. My mother abandoned me & sided with my ex. It’s a very painful and complicated back story .   I tried reconciling with my mom for the past several years. My mother died suddenly, yet I was never told she had bone marrow cancer for the past 5-6 years.   Information and my mother were withheld from me since the divorce. She could not reconcile with me in her life, broken hearted it it had to be in her death. 
Rest In Peace mom, I love & miss you.   #Psalm46:10 clinging to the only One who can heal my broken heart 💔 🙏. 

Sandy was our neighbor in Detroit when she was young. I was a young mother and became close to her mother Violet. Sandy grew into a responsible young adult who worked hard at her job at 3M. She volunteered at a orphans home and dreamed of adopting. When the Vietnam baby lifts happened her adopted girl was onboard. Wendy made her and Violet extremely happy. After Violet died Wendy had found her birth name Kim Lan and used it. Sandy went along for whatever her daughter wanted. After her daughter married and had grandchildren they relocated to Texas. Sandy followed and it seemed like a story book ending to our friendship. 

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Sandra Howard

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Sandra Lee Howard

January 20, 1936 – August 23, 2021

Stonebriar Funeral Home and Cremation Services

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