Sandra Lopez
Sandra Carol Lopez born in Auburn New York on Dec. 11, 1938, passed away after a short illness on Aug. 17, 2024. She was surrounded by her loved ones in her treasured home state of Arizona.
Sandra Carol Lopez (Jones) came to Arizona direct from the family farm in upstate New York when she was 10 years old with her parents, Estella (Jane) and Leslie Jones, and her younger sister and brother, Linda (Lynn) and Dave. The family settled in the Chandler and Mesa area where she eventually graduated from Mesa High School in May of 1956.
After high school, Sandra attended Northern Arizona University (NAU) in the fall of 1957 and lived in North Hall. She met the love of her life, her beloved and devoted husband of 66 years, Hector Lopez from Superior, AZ in the fall of 1957 at the student gathering place called the ASC Student Union (now the 1899 Bar and Grill) and they were married at the Guadalupe Catholic Church in Flagstaff in 1958. They continued their education at NAU and lived in married housing on campus until 1960. Both Sandra and Hector are lifelong NAU Lumberjack football fans and devoted alumni. They have stayed in close touch with their college friends over the years and have attended most homecoming games with their pals from the 1958 Holiday Bowl Championship football team where Hector played under coach Max Spilsbury.
Sandra continued her education after NAU and received her bachelors in education and a master’s degree in academic counseling from San Diego State University and began her long successful tenure in education in communities around the Imperial Valley of California from 1960 until 1999. Sandra first started out as a highly regarded elementary and middle school teacher. For the last 25 years of her career, she was a loved and revered high school counselor at Calexico High school where she advocated and guided thousands of mostly Hispanic students to reach their full potential and made sure that no student was left behind. She was a staunch supporter of students and fought to make sure they were represented with dignity and to the fullest which resulted in uplifting generations of families for many years to come. One of Sandra’s most notable traits was her heartfelt, distinct and exuberant laugh that brought people together and warmed hearts. When Sandra laughed, which was often, she lit up a room and brought joy all around her.
In 1999, Sandra and Hector moved back to Mesa, Arizona from California and enjoyed the last 25 years being surrounded by close family especially in Sandra’s favorite place, Pinetop Arizona. She and Hector built a large house to entertain friends, family, former students and colleagues. Many new memories and traditions were started and new friends were made over the years that enriched Sandra’s life and gave her the delight in living in her beloved White Mountains. She even started a second career as a Special Education teacher at McNary Elementary School in White River for 4.5 years where she enjoyed teaching in the classroom to Apache reservation students and where once again, she made a difference in young people’s lives.
Sandra was a kind and loving person, the best wife and mother ever! Truly unforgettable and full of light and love. She made this world a better place and she will be missed dearly by her husband Hector Lopez; daughters, Judi Lopez and Cyndy Lopez Bracero; her son-in-law, Ben Bracero; her cherished grandsons, Cameron Lopez, Aaron Lopez (June Lopez) and David Lopez (Rosario Garcia); and her special great-granddaughter, Clea Lopez, plus her many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her beloved sons, Gary K. Lopez and Lawrence B. Lopez; her parents; and her sister and brother.
Two separate services of remembrance for Sandra Lopez will be held over the next few months. First, we will gather Saturday, Oct. 12 in Superior, Arizona for Rosary and Mass starting at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church followed right after by a luncheon at St. Mary’s. Then on Saturday, Nov. 30, we will come together for a Celebration of Life in El Centro California at her grandson Aaron’s restaurant Ursa, located at 612 W. Main St. in El Centro, CA. https://ursadesert.com from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Uplifting young students and counseling was Sandra’s passion and calling in life. A great gift to her remembrance would be a donation to the Calexico education Foundation or IVC education foundation:
https://www.calexicoeducationalfoundation.org/get-involved-1 or