Sandra T. Hines

HINES, Sandra T., 47, of Denver, CO, formerly of Woodcliff Lake, NJ, passed away on Monday, June 30th, 2025. Sandra is survived by her loving parents Everett and Theresa Hines (nee Amato); her sister Irene Hines and her husband Chris Mendler; her brother Robert Hines and his wife Meredith; her nephews Christopher and Jonathan Mendler; her nieces Madison and Brooke Hines; many loving uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.

Sandra graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree, where she played Volleyball all 4 years and led the team to a championship victory. She also started ESU's first Rugby team. She was a Master Scuba Diver Trainer and worked as a Problem Management Manager in the healthcare industry.

Always a very positive person, Sandra had a zest for life and lived each day to the fullest. She was an avid traveler and loved spending time at the beach. An accomplished athlete and avid sports fan, Sandra always enthusiastically supported the Giants, Mets and Devils.

She will be dearly missed by everyone whose lives she touched.

The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd., Westwood, NJ on Thursday, July 10th from 3-7 PM. A Mass celebrating Sandra's life and faith will take place at Our Lady Mother Of The Church in Woodcliff Lake, NJ on Friday, July 11th at 11 AM with interment at Westwood Cemetery in Westwood, NJ to follow.

Sandra dearly loved all animals, most especially her beloved Yorkies: Kylie, Jayden and Jordyn. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Sandra’s name to the Ramapo Bergen Animal Refuge at: rbari.org/donate/

Sandyland. That is what Sandra and I affectionately called my sister’s world. She would laugh and say it was a great place to live. To me, at times, it seemed like an alternate universe.

Our brother would often joke “I have two sisters… one who lives in the suburbs, is married to a doctor and has a couple of kids. And one who jumps out of airplanes… for fun!”

Even though I didn’t live in Sandyland, I did have opportunities to visit… and my sister was right, it truly was a great place to be!

In Sandyland, exhilarating thrills were taken in the form of various adventure sports, from scuba diving to bungie jumping, where Sandra could push the limits. She was a competitive athlete. Volleyball, rugby and softball were just a few of the regular sports Sandra enjoyed playing throughout her life. No matter what activity she tried, she embraced it all. She was strong, quick and coordinated. If you were ever picking a team, you wanted Hines #3 on your side!

In Sandyland, the Giants, Mets and Devils ruled! You would be hard pressed to find a more passionate and dedicated fan than Sandra Hines. No matter what the season or sport, she attended live games, collected signed memorabilia, and rooted hard for her teams.

In Sandyland, Kylie, Jayden and Jordyn were her beloved fur babies, and she was their doting mom. She enjoyed working with all kinds of animals and that affection was reciprocated. Dolphins always held a special place in her heart.

In Sandyland, life was FUN! There were unlimited ice pops, dancing in the rain, goldfish crackers, episodes of Friends and happy ending Hallmark movies. There were road trips, going out to eat with bowls of whipped cream for dessert, various vacations and spending time at the beach. Most importantly, family and friends took center stage in Sandra’s life. She was loyal and generous with her time. When you were loved by Sandra, you felt it.

So even though my sister did not get to spend as much time on this Earth as we would have liked or expected, I can take comfort in knowing that Sandy truly lived her life to fullest, each and every day. I’d like to think she is now in a new Sandyland, a place that is still full of positive vibes and happiness. And hopefully many of the people that we love and miss dearly, are now getting to share in the bright light of her wonderful Sandyland world. We love you Sandra…Forever in our hearts.