Sandra Ann (Maltby) Fletcher
Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mom, ooma, auntie,"other mom" & friend. Sandy was born at Tacoma General Hospital on December 20th, 1947 and passed away on January 26th, 2012 also at Tacoma General Hospital. She was admitted into the hospital on Dec. 17th, 2011 and was there until she decided it was time to go home to her Lord. She is survived by her brother Jean & wife Patti, daughter Veronica & husband David , cherished Granddaughter Cassandra, son Randy & fiance Chandra along with her son River who mom considered her Grandson. There are too many to list, but there are also many surviving cousins, nieces & nephews that meant the world to her.
Moms favorite color was purple. She loved God, her family - the one by blood & the one she chose. Mom loved all animals but her favorites were dogs, wolves, eagles, whales & butterflies. She liked Greys Anatomy, The Bachelor & Chopped on tv. Mom enjoyed watching baseball, football & hockey. Her favorite though was Nascar. If Tony Stewart was in the lead she would be smiling from ear to ear & yelling at the tv to "Go Tony Go"! Her favorite flowers were 1st pansies & then tulips. She loved country music just as much as she did Elvis & 70's rock & roll. Her favorite food was chocolate.
Sandy was born to Jean & Frances Maltby & was their second child. Mom got to be little sister to her big brother Jean. Over the years & distance their relationship changed many times. One thing was always a constant-their love for each other. No matter what, mom knew she could always call her brother & he would pick up. Moms favorite story of growing up with a big brother like Jean was that it was ok for him to terrorize his little sister, but let any of the other boys in the neighborhood look at her cross-eyed and the fight was on! Mom stayed friends with her first sister-in-law but was also honored to be able to have a relationship with Jeans 2nd wife Patti. One of moms happiest moments was when Jean & Patti moved back to Tacoma after so many years in California. T-Bone & Pork Chop ride again!!!
Sandy graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School on June 8th, 1966. She went to work for Boeing as a secretary. Two weeks a month it was moms turn to drive for the carpool with the "old men". Mom decided it was time for a new car & bought herself a 1966 Chevelle CONVERTABLE! For years mom would laugh whenever she told the story about the 1st time the men saw her car & wanted to know where all 6 of them were going to fit? Winter time, cramped car & of course the top DOWN - needless to say her driving duties didn't last much longer! Then she met this man who enriched her life for over 21 years.
Mom married Vernon James Fletcher on February 18th, 1968. An early surprise, I came into the world on September 23rd, 1968. Mom & dad had lived all their lives in Tacoma but were now living in Burien. She would wake dad up "needing & craving" a hot fudge sundae at 2am! Being the great & smart man he was, he would get up & go to the drive-in & get her one. He learned quickly after repeat early am trips to just get 2 sundaes no matter what she said she wanted. My little brother Randy James was born on January 20th, 1978. I thought my mom had been taken over by aliens because she craved hot salsa when she was pregnant with him & she NEVER ate anything spicy. Her other craving with Randy was REAL coke & cheeseburgers. It never was proven who gained more weight- mom with the cravings or her very good friend Kayleen who would always go with her when mom asked -which was often. Vernon passed away on March 19th, 1989 & mom did what she always did-picked up her boot straps & did what needed to be done.
Mom went to work for Howells & Associates as a debt collector. She did that job for many years until the company went out of business. That is when she found her niche in the job world. Mom went to work for Albertsons in the deli. Mom worked in various stores in her over 10yrs with them. Mom got to be known as the "Chicken Lady" because she cooked the best chicken. Mom was such a people person that it was the perfect job for her. Many times mom got a perfect score on their secret shopper visits. Mom made many friends working there - both fellow employes & customers.
Sandy was an active volunteer for many charities & for any school activity. She was always the 1st to sign up if my Girl Scout troop needed chaperones or cookies baked. She was always on the sidelines at all of my brothers sport games & again the 1st to sign up for the snack list. She was a Life Member of The Order of Eastern Star-Corinthian Chapter.
Mom & I were very close. No one else could have asked for a better mom. She was always there for me growing up & that continued for the rest of her life. When my dad was very ill & we needed a break we would go down to the Proctor Safeway & play a game of PacMan. It never mattered if it was 1 game or 3 it gave us the break we needed. Countless times we would sit on the back porch, smoke away & talk about anything & everything. Mom always had the best advice. So many times there would be a knock on the door & I would open it up & there would stand a friend of mine. They weren't there to see me, they were there to talk to their other mom. Thats the kind of lady she was. My favorite memories of her are the moment I told her I was pregnant, sitting in the sunshine at Starbucks enjoying each others company & reading & the look on her face when I told her my husband & I got her front row seats to Kenny Rogers. She had always said that she wanted to be close enough to him at a concert to see the sweat on his face & I will forever be thankful that we could do that for her. You will always be my best friend, my mama & my #1 cheerleader. I thank God that you were ours. I wish it could have been for a longer time, but we were all blessed to have you in our lives for as long as we did.
Then there was her relationship with David. Mom called him her son-in-law, friend, personal comedian and most importantly-her other son. The two of them had a very special bond that will be there forever. Over the years they had may talks, arguments, laugh fests, tears and most importantly true, pure love for one another. Moms #1 favorite memory of David was all the times he would sneak up behind somebody & bark like a dog really loud. He is very good a that & mom thought it was the funniest thing ever. She loved it when he did his Tim Allen impersenation. Mom loved to remember all the times they were alone & would just talk. She loved the fact that he always introduced her as his mom. David is another person mom was blessed with in her life that she KNEW would always be there for her-no matter what! Mom always said that he was the "son of her heart" not her blood.
Mom & Randy were also blessed with a close relationship that even distance could not change. Mom was so excited that after so many years she was going to have another child. When Randy was born she was so proud to now have a son. He was the apple of her eye until the day she died. Mom cried the day he went to his first day of school. She stood tall & proud at all of Randys sporting events telling anyone within hearing range-thats my son. Once dad passed away, mom had to be dad to Randy also. He has always said that he couldn't have asked for a better mom. Mom used to love telling the story of when she took her beloved dog Jeffrey in the car & went to find Randy because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. The 2 of them sat in the car for a couple of hours until Jeffrey started getting all excited. A car had turned a couple blocks away & he knew Randy was in the car. It was alot of years before mom told him how she had known he was in that car! When Randy went to St.Louis for a few months to become a dent repair specialist she could have burst with pride. One of moms other favorite memories of the two of them was when she took him to Ocean Shores for the 1st time. It wasn't long after dad had passed & it gave mom some much needed time alone together. She booked the hotel & refused to tell him where they were going. She said she would never forget the look of awe on his face when the 1st good view of the ocean came into view. She said they spent the weekend walking the beach & talking. They came home with alot of shells & even more happy memories!
Mom was very fond of Chandra & River & loved taking the train with Cassandra to visit the 3 of them in Medford Or where they live. Randy bringing the two of them into moms life was a blessing mom truely loved & cherished! Moms face always lit up whenever Chandra called or when she sent her one of her funny animated text messages. They always made her laugh! Mom also knew that if Chandra called that meant chanes were high that she would get to talk to River also. She loved hearing about his day at school or how his sports were going. Her favorite part of the conversation was when she heard River say "I love you Grandma". Moms face would just light up at that & a smile would cover her face.
One other person that was brought into our lives was Christopher Ivey. Mom concidered him another son & loved every minute they spent together & the conversations they had. He will always hold a special place in moms heart. Mom always said that he had a smile to light up the world! She loved the fact that he always hugged & kissed her. His genuine love & generosity to mom meant so much to her!
Then there was her other daughter, my best friend Dee. She will never know just how much she meant to my mom. Over 25years they had many happy moments, arguements, love, laughter & tears. She will forever be a part of mom! Mom used to say that the thing she loved most about Dee was that she never failed to make her laugh. Mom used to just crack up at some of the tv shows Dee watched & would throw her hands up & say-"ah, thats my kid". Then mom would give her a hard time about Dees latest dream. Mom would analyze them & turn them into something even goofier then they started out. In the last year mom was so grateful that Dee was always willing to come over & visit if I had to leave for awile. Dee was the only other person that mom allowed to help her bathe. Dee will never know what a blessing she was to mom more than usual over the last year.
Mom always said the greatest joy of her life was her Granddaughter Cassandra. Randy & I ceased to exist the minute that little girl came into the world. Cassie was moms joy, love & life. The 3 of us girls all lived together from the time Cassie was 3months old. We called it our "house of hormones". I could fill this entire web site with all the memories my daughter will have for the rest of her life. Moms favorite memory was when Cassie was just a baby & for the 1st 6months of her life her favorite place to sleep was curled up on OOMAS chest. Another of her favorite memories was 1 day we had taken her to see Gamma at work. Mom had been on a break & had just walked around the corner to head back to the deli. Cassie saw her 1st & took of running yelling " Gamma, Gamma". At 1 1/2 yrs old you can imagine just how "quiet" she was. Mom also loved to remember Cassies 1st ferry ride & when the Captain 1st blew the horn! Later mom loved to take Cassie & have Grandma & Cassie days. It never mattered what they did, it was just the alone time that mattered!!! G-Ma & Cassie Bear were quite a team from day one. The greatest gift of all was the closeness & love that they shared. Nothing, not even death can ever take that away. Last & by no means least is Bec. She has been a neighbor & friend to mom & all of us for over 30yrs. She will never know how much mom loved her, their talks, prayers together & laughter. Bec would bring her dog Lucas up too & mom loved to see him. He could always get her to throw the ball for him - even in the house. He always headed right to moms chair to see her the second he came in the front door. Becs nephew Patrick was also much loved by mom. She loved the fact that no matter how old he was or if he had friends around he always gave her an awesome hug & told her he loved her. The 3 of you always had a special place in moms heart & she loved you immensely!
There are way too many other people to thank & remember. You all know who you are. You meant the world to my mom & mean the world to all of us. THANK YOU!
Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mom, ooma, auntie,"other mom" & friend. Sandy was born at Tacoma General Hospital on December 20th, 1947 and passed away on January 26th, 2012 also at Tacoma General Hospital. She was admitted into the hospital on Dec. 17th, 2011 and was there until she decided it was time to go home to her Lord. She is survived by her brother Jean & wife Patti, daughter Veronica & husband David , cherished Granddaughter Cassandra, son Randy & fiance Chandra along with her son River who mom considered her Grandson. There are too many to list, but there are also many surviving cousins, nieces & nephews that meant the world to her.
Moms favorite color was purple. She loved God, her family - the one by blood & the one she chose. Mom loved all animals but her favorites were dogs, wolves, eagles, whales & butterflies. She liked Greys Anatomy, The Bachelor & Chopped on tv. Mom enjoyed watching baseball, football & hockey. Her favorite though was Nascar. If Tony Stewart was in the lead she would be smiling from ear to ear & yelling at the tv to "Go Tony Go"! Her favorite flowers were 1st pansies & then tulips. She loved country music just as much as she did Elvis & 70's rock & roll. Her favorite food was chocolate.
Sandy was born to Jean & Frances Maltby & was their second child. Mom got to be little sister to her big brother Jean. Over the years & distance their relationship changed many times. One thing was always a constant-their love for each other. No matter what, mom knew she could always call her brother & he would pick up. Moms favorite story of growing up with a big brother like Jean was that it was ok for him to terrorize his little sister, but let any of the other boys in the neighborhood look at her cross-eyed and the fight was on! Mom stayed friends with her first sister-in-law but was also honored to be able to have a relationship with Jeans 2nd wife Patti. One of moms happiest moments was when Jean & Patti moved back to Tacoma after so many years in California. T-Bone & Pork Chop ride again!!!
Sandy graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School on June 8th, 1966. She went to work for Boeing as a secretary. Two weeks a month it was moms turn to drive for the carpool with the "old men". Mom decided it was time for a new car & bought herself a 1966 Chevelle CONVERTABLE! For years mom would laugh whenever she told the story about the 1st time the men saw her car & wanted to know where all 6 of them were going to fit? Winter time, cramped car & of course the top DOWN - needless to say her driving duties didn't last much longer! Then she met this man who enriched her life for over 21 years.
Mom married Vernon James Fletcher on February 18th, 1968. An early surprise, I came into the world on September 23rd, 1968. Mom & dad had lived all their lives in Tacoma but were now living in Burien. She would wake dad up "needing & craving" a hot fudge sundae at 2am! Being the great & smart man he was, he would get up & go to the drive-in & get her one. He learned quickly after repeat early am trips to just get 2 sundaes no matter what she said she wanted. My little brother Randy James was born on January 20th, 1978. I thought my mom had been taken over by aliens because she craved hot salsa when she was pregnant with him & she NEVER ate anything spicy. Her other craving with Randy was REAL coke & cheeseburgers. It never was proven who gained more weight- mom with the cravings or her very good friend Kayleen who would always go with her when mom asked -which was often. Vernon passed away on March 19th, 1989 & mom did what she always did-picked up her boot straps & did what needed to be done.
Mom went to work for Howells & Associates as a debt collector. She did that job for many years until the company went out of business. That is when she found her niche in the job world. Mom went to work for Albertsons in the deli. Mom worked in various stores in her over 10yrs with them. Mom got to be known as the "Chicken Lady" because she cooked the best chicken. Mom was such a people person that it was the perfect job for her. Many times mom got a perfect score on their secret shopper visits. Mom made many friends working there - both fellow employes & customers.
Sandy was an active volunteer for many charities & for any school activity. She was always the 1st to sign up if my Girl Scout troop needed chaperones or cookies baked. She was always on the sidelines at all of my brothers sport games & again the 1st to sign up for the snack list. She was a Life Member of The Order of Eastern Star-Corinthian Chapter.
Mom & I were very close. No one else could have asked for a better mom. She was always there for me growing up & that continued for the rest of her life. When my dad was very ill & we needed a break we would go down to the Proctor Safeway & play a game of PacMan. It never mattered if it was 1 game or 3 it gave us the break we needed. Countless times we would sit on the back porch, smoke away & talk about anything & everything. Mom always had the best advice. So many times there would be a knock on the door & I would open it up & there would stand a friend of mine. They weren't there to see me, they were there to talk to their other mom. Thats the kind of lady she was. My favorite memories of her are the moment I told her I was pregnant, sitting in the sunshine at Starbucks enjoying each others company & reading & the look on her face when I told her my husband & I got her front row seats to Kenny Rogers. She had always said that she wanted to be close enough to him at a concert to see the sweat on his face & I will forever be thankful that we could do that for her. You will always be my best friend, my mama & my #1 cheerleader. I thank God that you were ours. I wish it could have been for a longer time, but we were all blessed to have you in our lives for as long as we did.
Then there was her relationship with David. Mom called him her son-in-law, friend, personal comedian and most importantly-her other son. The two of them had a very special bond that will be there forever. Over the years they had may talks, arguments, laugh fests, tears and most importantly true, pure love for one another. Moms #1 favorite memory of David was all the times he would sneak up behind somebody & bark like a dog really loud. He is very good a that & mom thought it was the funniest thing ever. She loved it when he did his Tim Allen impersenation. Mom loved to remember all the times they were alone & would just talk. She loved the fact that he always introduced her as his mom. David is another person mom was blessed with in her life that she KNEW would always be there for her-no matter what! Mom always said that he was the "son of her heart" not her blood.
Mom & Randy were also blessed with a close relationship that even distance could not change. Mom was so excited that after so many years she was going to have another child. When Randy was born she was so proud to now have a son. He was the apple of her eye until the day she died. Mom cried the day he went to his first day of school. She stood tall & proud at all of Randys sporting events telling anyone within hearing range-thats my son. Once dad passed away, mom had to be dad to Randy also. He has always said that he couldn't have asked for a better mom. Mom used to love telling the story of when she took her beloved dog Jeffrey in the car & went to find Randy because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. The 2 of them sat in the car for a couple of hours until Jeffrey started getting all excited. A car had turned a couple blocks away & he knew Randy was in the car. It was alot of years before mom told him how she had known he was in that car! When Randy went to St.Louis for a few months to become a dent repair specialist she could have burst with pride. One of moms other favorite memories of the two of them was when she took him to Ocean Shores for the 1st time. It wasn't long after dad had passed & it gave mom some much needed time alone together. She booked the hotel & refused to tell him where they were going. She said she would never forget the look of awe on his face when the 1st good view of the ocean came into view. She said they spent the weekend walking the beach & talking. They came home with alot of shells & even more happy memories!
Mom was very fond of Chandra & River & loved taking the train with Cassandra to visit the 3 of them in Medford Or where they live. Randy bringing the two of them into moms life was a blessing mom truely loved & cherished! Moms face always lit up whenever Chandra called or when she sent her one of her funny animated text messages. They always made her laugh! Mom also knew that if Chandra called that meant chanes were high that she would get to talk to River also. She loved hearing about his day at school or how his sports were going. Her favorite part of the conversation was when she heard River say "I love you Grandma". Moms face would just light up at that & a smile would cover her face.
One other person that was brought into our lives was Christopher Ivey. Mom concidered him another son & loved every minute they spent together & the conversations they had. He will always hold a special place in moms heart. Mom always said that he had a smile to light up the world! She loved the fact that he always hugged & kissed her. His genuine love & generosity to mom meant so much to her!
Then there was her other daughter, my best friend Dee. She will never know just how much she meant to my mom. Over 25years they had many happy moments, arguements, love, laughter & tears. She will forever be a part of mom! Mom used to say that the thing she loved most about Dee was that she never failed to make her laugh. Mom used to just crack up at some of the tv shows Dee watched & would throw her hands up & say-"ah, thats my kid". Then mom would give her a hard time about Dees latest dream. Mom would analyze them & turn them into something even goofier then they started out. In the last year mom was so grateful that Dee was always willing to come over & visit if I had to leave for awile. Dee was the only other person that mom allowed to help her bathe. Dee will never know what a blessing she was to mom more than usual over the last year.
Mom always said the greatest joy of her life was her Granddaughter Cassandra. Randy & I ceased to exist the minute that little girl came into the world. Cassie was moms joy, love & life. The 3 of us girls all lived together from the time Cassie was 3months old. We called it our "house of hormones". I could fill this entire web site with all the memories my daughter will have for the rest of her life. Moms favorite memory was when Cassie was just a baby & for the 1st 6months of her life her favorite place to sleep was curled up on OOMAS chest. Another of her favorite memories was 1 day we had taken her to see Gamma at work. Mom had been on a break & had just walked around the corner to head back to the deli. Cassie saw her 1st & took of running yelling " Gamma, Gamma". At 1 1/2 yrs old you can imagine just how "quiet" she was. Mom also loved to remember Cassies 1st ferry ride & when the Captain 1st blew the horn! Later mom loved to take Cassie & have Grandma & Cassie days. It never mattered what they did, it was just the alone time that mattered!!! G-Ma & Cassie Bear were quite a team from day one. The greatest gift of all was the closeness & love that they shared. Nothing, not even death can ever take that away. Last & by no means least is Bec. She has been a neighbor & friend to mom & all of us for over 30yrs. She will never know how much mom loved her, their talks, prayers together & laughter. Bec would bring her dog Lucas up too & mom loved to see him. He could always get her to throw the ball for him - even in the house. He always headed right to moms chair to see her the second he came in the front door. Becs nephew Patrick was also much loved by mom. She loved the fact that no matter how old he was or if he had friends around he always gave her an awesome hug & told her he loved her. The 3 of you always had a special place in moms heart & she loved you immensely!
There are way too many other people to thank & remember. You all know who you are. You meant the world to my mom & mean the world to all of us. THANK YOU!
Sandra Ann (Maltby) Fletcher
Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mom, ooma, auntie,"other mom" & friend. Sandy was born at Tacoma General Hospital on December 20th, 1947 and passed away on January 26th, 2012 also at Tacoma General Hospital. She was admitted into the hospital on Dec. 17th, 2011 and was there until she decided it was time to go home to her Lord. She is survived by her brother Jean & wife Patti, daughter Veronica & husband David , cherished Granddaughter Cassandra, son Randy & fiance Chandra along with her son River who mom considered her Grandson. There are too many to list, but there are also many surviving cousins, nieces & nephews that meant the world to her.
Moms favorite color was purple. She loved God, her family - the one by blood & the one she chose. Mom loved all animals but her favorites were dogs, wolves, eagles, whales & butterflies. She liked Greys Anatomy, The Bachelor & Chopped on tv. Mom enjoyed watching baseball, football & hockey. Her favorite though was Nascar. If Tony Stewart was in the lead she would be smiling from ear to ear & yelling at the tv to "Go Tony Go"! Her favorite flowers were 1st pansies & then tulips. She loved country music just as much as she did Elvis & 70's rock & roll. Her favorite food was chocolate.
Sandy was born to Jean & Frances Maltby & was their second child. Mom got to be little sister to her big brother Jean. Over the years & distance their relationship changed many times. One thing was always a constant-their love for each other. No matter what, mom knew she could always call her brother & he would pick up. Moms favorite story of growing up with a big brother like Jean was that it was ok for him to terrorize his little sister, but let any of the other boys in the neighborhood look at her cross-eyed and the fight was on! Mom stayed friends with her first sister-in-law but was also honored to be able to have a relationship with Jeans 2nd wife Patti. One of moms happiest moments was when Jean & Patti moved back to Tacoma after so many years in California. T-Bone & Pork Chop ride again!!!
Sandy graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School on June 8th, 1966. She went to work for Boeing as a secretary. Two weeks a month it was moms turn to drive for the carpool with the "old men". Mom decided it was time for a new car & bought herself a 1966 Chevelle CONVERTABLE! For years mom would laugh whenever she told the story about the 1st time the men saw her car & wanted to know where all 6 of them were going to fit? Winter time, cramped car & of course the top DOWN - needless to say her driving duties didn't last much longer! Then she met this man who enriched her life for over 21 years.
Mom married Vernon James Fletcher on February 18th, 1968. An early surprise, I came into the world on September 23rd, 1968. Mom & dad had lived all their lives in Tacoma but were now living in Burien. She would wake dad up "needing & craving" a hot fudge sundae at 2am! Being the great & smart man he was, he would get up & go to the drive-in & get her one. He learned quickly after repeat early am trips to just get 2 sundaes no matter what she said she wanted. My little brother Randy James was born on January 20th, 1978. I thought my mom had been taken over by aliens because she craved hot salsa when she was pregnant with him & she NEVER ate anything spicy. Her other craving with Randy was REAL coke & cheeseburgers. It never was proven who gained more weight- mom with the cravings or her very good friend Kayleen who would always go with her when mom asked -which was often. Vernon passed away on March 19th, 1989 & mom did what she always did-picked up her boot straps & did what needed to be done.
Mom went to work for Howells & Associates as a debt collector. She did that job for many years until the company went out of business. That is when she found her niche in the job world. Mom went to work for Albertsons in the deli. Mom worked in various stores in her over 10yrs with them. Mom got to be known as the "Chicken Lady" because she cooked the best chicken. Mom was such a people person that it was the perfect job for her. Many times mom got a perfect score on their secret shopper visits. Mom made many friends working there - both fellow employes & customers.
Sandy was an active volunteer for many charities & for any school activity. She was always the 1st to sign up if my Girl Scout troop needed chaperones or cookies baked. She was always on the sidelines at all of my brothers sport games & again the 1st to sign up for the snack list. She was a Life Member of The Order of Eastern Star-Corinthian Chapter.
Mom & I were very close. No one else could have asked for a better mom. She was always there for me growing up & that continued for the rest of her life. When my dad was very ill & we needed a break we would go down to the Proctor Safeway & play a game of PacMan. It never mattered if it was 1 game or 3 it gave us the break we needed. Countless times we would sit on the back porch, smoke away & talk about anything & everything. Mom always had the best advice. So many times there would be a knock on the door & I would open it up & there would stand a friend of mine. They weren't there to see me, they were there to talk to their other mom. Thats the kind of lady she was. My favorite memories of her are the moment I told her I was pregnant, sitting in the sunshine at Starbucks enjoying each others company & reading & the look on her face when I told her my husband & I got her front row seats to Kenny Rogers. She had always said that she wanted to be close enough to him at a concert to see the sweat on his face & I will forever be thankful that we could do that for her. You will always be my best friend, my mama & my #1 cheerleader. I thank God that you were ours. I wish it could have been for a longer time, but we were all blessed to have you in our lives for as long as we did.
Then there was her relationship with David. Mom called him her son-in-law, friend, personal comedian and most importantly-her other son. The two of them had a very special bond that will be there forever. Over the years they had may talks, arguments, laugh fests, tears and most importantly true, pure love for one another. Moms #1 favorite memory of David was all the times he would sneak up behind somebody & bark like a dog really loud. He is very good a that & mom thought it was the funniest thing ever. She loved it when he did his Tim Allen impersenation. Mom loved to remember all the times they were alone & would just talk. She loved the fact that he always introduced her as his mom. David is another person mom was blessed with in her life that she KNEW would always be there for her-no matter what! Mom always said that he was the "son of her heart" not her blood.
Mom & Randy were also blessed with a close relationship that even distance could not change. Mom was so excited that after so many years she was going to have another child. When Randy was born she was so proud to now have a son. He was the apple of her eye until the day she died. Mom cried the day he went to his first day of school. She stood tall & proud at all of Randys sporting events telling anyone within hearing range-thats my son. Once dad passed away, mom had to be dad to Randy also. He has always said that he couldn't have asked for a better mom. Mom used to love telling the story of when she took her beloved dog Jeffrey in the car & went to find Randy because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. The 2 of them sat in the car for a couple of hours until Jeffrey started getting all excited. A car had turned a couple blocks away & he knew Randy was in the car. It was alot of years before mom told him how she had known he was in that car! When Randy went to St.Louis for a few months to become a dent repair specialist she could have burst with pride. One of moms other favorite memories of the two of them was when she took him to Ocean Shores for the 1st time. It wasn't long after dad had passed & it gave mom some much needed time alone together. She booked the hotel & refused to tell him where they were going. She said she would never forget the look of awe on his face when the 1st good view of the ocean came into view. She said they spent the weekend walking the beach & talking. They came home with alot of shells & even more happy memories!
Mom was very fond of Chandra & River & loved taking the train with Cassandra to visit the 3 of them in Medford Or where they live. Randy bringing the two of them into moms life was a blessing mom truely loved & cherished! Moms face always lit up whenever Chandra called or when she sent her one of her funny animated text messages. They always made her laugh! Mom also knew that if Chandra called that meant chanes were high that she would get to talk to River also. She loved hearing about his day at school or how his sports were going. Her favorite part of the conversation was when she heard River say "I love you Grandma". Moms face would just light up at that & a smile would cover her face.
One other person that was brought into our lives was Christopher Ivey. Mom concidered him another son & loved every minute they spent together & the conversations they had. He will always hold a special place in moms heart. Mom always said that he had a smile to light up the world! She loved the fact that he always hugged & kissed her. His genuine love & generosity to mom meant so much to her!
Then there was her other daughter, my best friend Dee. She will never know just how much she meant to my mom. Over 25years they had many happy moments, arguements, love, laughter & tears. She will forever be a part of mom! Mom used to say that the thing she loved most about Dee was that she never failed to make her laugh. Mom used to just crack up at some of the tv shows Dee watched & would throw her hands up & say-"ah, thats my kid". Then mom would give her a hard time about Dees latest dream. Mom would analyze them & turn them into something even goofier then they started out. In the last year mom was so grateful that Dee was always willing to come over & visit if I had to leave for awile. Dee was the only other person that mom allowed to help her bathe. Dee will never know what a blessing she was to mom more than usual over the last year.
Mom always said the greatest joy of her life was her Granddaughter Cassandra. Randy & I ceased to exist the minute that little girl came into the world. Cassie was moms joy, love & life. The 3 of us girls all lived together from the time Cassie was 3months old. We called it our "house of hormones". I could fill this entire web site with all the memories my daughter will have for the rest of her life. Moms favorite memory was when Cassie was just a baby & for the 1st 6months of her life her favorite place to sleep was curled up on OOMAS chest. Another of her favorite memories was 1 day we had taken her to see Gamma at work. Mom had been on a break & had just walked around the corner to head back to the deli. Cassie saw her 1st & took of running yelling " Gamma, Gamma". At 1 1/2 yrs old you can imagine just how "quiet" she was. Mom also loved to remember Cassies 1st ferry ride & when the Captain 1st blew the horn! Later mom loved to take Cassie & have Grandma & Cassie days. It never mattered what they did, it was just the alone time that mattered!!! G-Ma & Cassie Bear were quite a team from day one. The greatest gift of all was the closeness & love that they shared. Nothing, not even death can ever take that away. Last & by no means least is Bec. She has been a neighbor & friend to mom & all of us for over 30yrs. She will never know how much mom loved her, their talks, prayers together & laughter. Bec would bring her dog Lucas up too & mom loved to see him. He could always get her to throw the ball for him - even in the house. He always headed right to moms chair to see her the second he came in the front door. Becs nephew Patrick was also much loved by mom. She loved the fact that no matter how old he was or if he had friends around he always gave her an awesome hug & told her he loved her. The 3 of you always had a special place in moms heart & she loved you immensely!
There are way too many other people to thank & remember. You all know who you are. You meant the world to my mom & mean the world to all of us. THANK YOU!
Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mom, ooma, auntie,"other mom" & friend. Sandy was born at Tacoma General Hospital on December 20th, 1947 and passed away on January 26th, 2012 also at Tacoma General Hospital. She was admitted into the hospital on Dec. 17th, 2011 and was there until she decided it was time to go home to her Lord. She is survived by her brother Jean & wife Patti, daughter Veronica & husband David , cherished Granddaughter Cassandra, son Randy & fiance Chandra along with her son River who mom considered her Grandson. There are too many to list, but there are also many surviving cousins, nieces & nephews that meant the world to her.
Moms favorite color was purple. She loved God, her family - the one by blood & the one she chose. Mom loved all animals but her favorites were dogs, wolves, eagles, whales & butterflies. She liked Greys Anatomy, The Bachelor & Chopped on tv. Mom enjoyed watching baseball, football & hockey. Her favorite though was Nascar. If Tony Stewart was in the lead she would be smiling from ear to ear & yelling at the tv to "Go Tony Go"! Her favorite flowers were 1st pansies & then tulips. She loved country music just as much as she did Elvis & 70's rock & roll. Her favorite food was chocolate.
Sandy was born to Jean & Frances Maltby & was their second child. Mom got to be little sister to her big brother Jean. Over the years & distance their relationship changed many times. One thing was always a constant-their love for each other. No matter what, mom knew she could always call her brother & he would pick up. Moms favorite story of growing up with a big brother like Jean was that it was ok for him to terrorize his little sister, but let any of the other boys in the neighborhood look at her cross-eyed and the fight was on! Mom stayed friends with her first sister-in-law but was also honored to be able to have a relationship with Jeans 2nd wife Patti. One of moms happiest moments was when Jean & Patti moved back to Tacoma after so many years in California. T-Bone & Pork Chop ride again!!!
Sandy graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School on June 8th, 1966. She went to work for Boeing as a secretary. Two weeks a month it was moms turn to drive for the carpool with the "old men". Mom decided it was time for a new car & bought herself a 1966 Chevelle CONVERTABLE! For years mom would laugh whenever she told the story about the 1st time the men saw her car & wanted to know where all 6 of them were going to fit? Winter time, cramped car & of course the top DOWN - needless to say her driving duties didn't last much longer! Then she met this man who enriched her life for over 21 years.
Mom married Vernon James Fletcher on February 18th, 1968. An early surprise, I came into the world on September 23rd, 1968. Mom & dad had lived all their lives in Tacoma but were now living in Burien. She would wake dad up "needing & craving" a hot fudge sundae at 2am! Being the great & smart man he was, he would get up & go to the drive-in & get her one. He learned quickly after repeat early am trips to just get 2 sundaes no matter what she said she wanted. My little brother Randy James was born on January 20th, 1978. I thought my mom had been taken over by aliens because she craved hot salsa when she was pregnant with him & she NEVER ate anything spicy. Her other craving with Randy was REAL coke & cheeseburgers. It never was proven who gained more weight- mom with the cravings or her very good friend Kayleen who would always go with her when mom asked -which was often. Vernon passed away on March 19th, 1989 & mom did what she always did-picked up her boot straps & did what needed to be done.
Mom went to work for Howells & Associates as a debt collector. She did that job for many years until the company went out of business. That is when she found her niche in the job world. Mom went to work for Albertsons in the deli. Mom worked in various stores in her over 10yrs with them. Mom got to be known as the "Chicken Lady" because she cooked the best chicken. Mom was such a people person that it was the perfect job for her. Many times mom got a perfect score on their secret shopper visits. Mom made many friends working there - both fellow employes & customers.
Sandy was an active volunteer for many charities & for any school activity. She was always the 1st to sign up if my Girl Scout troop needed chaperones or cookies baked. She was always on the sidelines at all of my brothers sport games & again the 1st to sign up for the snack list. She was a Life Member of The Order of Eastern Star-Corinthian Chapter.
Mom & I were very close. No one else could have asked for a better mom. She was always there for me growing up & that continued for the rest of her life. When my dad was very ill & we needed a break we would go down to the Proctor Safeway & play a game of PacMan. It never mattered if it was 1 game or 3 it gave us the break we needed. Countless times we would sit on the back porch, smoke away & talk about anything & everything. Mom always had the best advice. So many times there would be a knock on the door & I would open it up & there would stand a friend of mine. They weren't there to see me, they were there to talk to their other mom. Thats the kind of lady she was. My favorite memories of her are the moment I told her I was pregnant, sitting in the sunshine at Starbucks enjoying each others company & reading & the look on her face when I told her my husband & I got her front row seats to Kenny Rogers. She had always said that she wanted to be close enough to him at a concert to see the sweat on his face & I will forever be thankful that we could do that for her. You will always be my best friend, my mama & my #1 cheerleader. I thank God that you were ours. I wish it could have been for a longer time, but we were all blessed to have you in our lives for as long as we did.
Then there was her relationship with David. Mom called him her son-in-law, friend, personal comedian and most importantly-her other son. The two of them had a very special bond that will be there forever. Over the years they had may talks, arguments, laugh fests, tears and most importantly true, pure love for one another. Moms #1 favorite memory of David was all the times he would sneak up behind somebody & bark like a dog really loud. He is very good a that & mom thought it was the funniest thing ever. She loved it when he did his Tim Allen impersenation. Mom loved to remember all the times they were alone & would just talk. She loved the fact that he always introduced her as his mom. David is another person mom was blessed with in her life that she KNEW would always be there for her-no matter what! Mom always said that he was the "son of her heart" not her blood.
Mom & Randy were also blessed with a close relationship that even distance could not change. Mom was so excited that after so many years she was going to have another child. When Randy was born she was so proud to now have a son. He was the apple of her eye until the day she died. Mom cried the day he went to his first day of school. She stood tall & proud at all of Randys sporting events telling anyone within hearing range-thats my son. Once dad passed away, mom had to be dad to Randy also. He has always said that he couldn't have asked for a better mom. Mom used to love telling the story of when she took her beloved dog Jeffrey in the car & went to find Randy because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. The 2 of them sat in the car for a couple of hours until Jeffrey started getting all excited. A car had turned a couple blocks away & he knew Randy was in the car. It was alot of years before mom told him how she had known he was in that car! When Randy went to St.Louis for a few months to become a dent repair specialist she could have burst with pride. One of moms other favorite memories of the two of them was when she took him to Ocean Shores for the 1st time. It wasn't long after dad had passed & it gave mom some much needed time alone together. She booked the hotel & refused to tell him where they were going. She said she would never forget the look of awe on his face when the 1st good view of the ocean came into view. She said they spent the weekend walking the beach & talking. They came home with alot of shells & even more happy memories!
Mom was very fond of Chandra & River & loved taking the train with Cassandra to visit the 3 of them in Medford Or where they live. Randy bringing the two of them into moms life was a blessing mom truely loved & cherished! Moms face always lit up whenever Chandra called or when she sent her one of her funny animated text messages. They always made her laugh! Mom also knew that if Chandra called that meant chanes were high that she would get to talk to River also. She loved hearing about his day at school or how his sports were going. Her favorite part of the conversation was when she heard River say "I love you Grandma". Moms face would just light up at that & a smile would cover her face.
One other person that was brought into our lives was Christopher Ivey. Mom concidered him another son & loved every minute they spent together & the conversations they had. He will always hold a special place in moms heart. Mom always said that he had a smile to light up the world! She loved the fact that he always hugged & kissed her. His genuine love & generosity to mom meant so much to her!
Then there was her other daughter, my best friend Dee. She will never know just how much she meant to my mom. Over 25years they had many happy moments, arguements, love, laughter & tears. She will forever be a part of mom! Mom used to say that the thing she loved most about Dee was that she never failed to make her laugh. Mom used to just crack up at some of the tv shows Dee watched & would throw her hands up & say-"ah, thats my kid". Then mom would give her a hard time about Dees latest dream. Mom would analyze them & turn them into something even goofier then they started out. In the last year mom was so grateful that Dee was always willing to come over & visit if I had to leave for awile. Dee was the only other person that mom allowed to help her bathe. Dee will never know what a blessing she was to mom more than usual over the last year.
Mom always said the greatest joy of her life was her Granddaughter Cassandra. Randy & I ceased to exist the minute that little girl came into the world. Cassie was moms joy, love & life. The 3 of us girls all lived together from the time Cassie was 3months old. We called it our "house of hormones". I could fill this entire web site with all the memories my daughter will have for the rest of her life. Moms favorite memory was when Cassie was just a baby & for the 1st 6months of her life her favorite place to sleep was curled up on OOMAS chest. Another of her favorite memories was 1 day we had taken her to see Gamma at work. Mom had been on a break & had just walked around the corner to head back to the deli. Cassie saw her 1st & took of running yelling " Gamma, Gamma". At 1 1/2 yrs old you can imagine just how "quiet" she was. Mom also loved to remember Cassies 1st ferry ride & when the Captain 1st blew the horn! Later mom loved to take Cassie & have Grandma & Cassie days. It never mattered what they did, it was just the alone time that mattered!!! G-Ma & Cassie Bear were quite a team from day one. The greatest gift of all was the closeness & love that they shared. Nothing, not even death can ever take that away. Last & by no means least is Bec. She has been a neighbor & friend to mom & all of us for over 30yrs. She will never know how much mom loved her, their talks, prayers together & laughter. Bec would bring her dog Lucas up too & mom loved to see him. He could always get her to throw the ball for him - even in the house. He always headed right to moms chair to see her the second he came in the front door. Becs nephew Patrick was also much loved by mom. She loved the fact that no matter how old he was or if he had friends around he always gave her an awesome hug & told her he loved her. The 3 of you always had a special place in moms heart & she loved you immensely!
There are way too many other people to thank & remember. You all know who you are. You meant the world to my mom & mean the world to all of us. THANK YOU!
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