Even though her birthday is only 13 months ahead of mine, I have always considered Sandy to be wise and sage beyond her years. I know that she was Mom and Dad’s favorite because she was so perfect – obedient, polite, kind, generous, hard-working, a straight-A student, and without guile. Fun loving. And funny. Oh, and the peacekeeper in the family. Of course she was the favorite child!
In 5th or 6th grade (I think) she broke her arm just below the shoulder when she fell off a horse, and had to sleep sitting in a chair for weeks. I don’t remember her complaining about anything, but the reality is that her arm became really stinky because of the cast, and so her room was really stinky. I avoided going in to visit her...and I’m still ashamed of myself for that. A few years later, right after arriving at Bear Lake for ONE ENTIRE WEEK of waterskiing, we both paid for a plate of french fries to share and had a big fight over who should get the last one. Right after that I had a stupid accident that landed me in the hospital with a concussion and ruined the whole trip for everyone. She felt guilty about the french fries, and I milked it.
It was my wonderful big sister Sandy who taught me the true order of eating a cinnamon bear: you bite the head off first and then finish off the bear in small bites (yes, it is pretty vicious). We would often take the bus to downtown SLC and (mostly window) shop, breeze into Adrian & Emily's so we could smell like Chanel º5, buy cinnamon bears, ride the escalators whilst loudly double-speaking to each other, and then meet mom after work for a ride home. She was a wonderful friend who shared her friends with me in high school and even let me go camping and to Lake Powell with them.
She, Diane and I were supposed to rotate chores each week – vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, and fixing dinner. I think it was Sandy’s brilliant idea that we just do the one we liked best since she liked to cook, Diane didn’t mind cleaning bathrooms (ugh), and I was a master with a vacuum cleaner. So when I married I didn’t know the first thing about cooking or cleaning bathrooms….
Sandy has always known how to work hard and make things happen. While attending the University of Utah she had a number of interesting jobs. At one time she cooked for a group of nuns – they really liked her almandine green beans! She also introduced me to the musical “Hair” at a listening booth at the U. I felt so sophisticated going on campus with her.
I wanted to copy her perfect wedding – right down to the dress. I couldn’t though, because it didn’t fit me; and I couldn’t have the reception in the quaint RS room because our church on Evergreen Avenue had been slated for demolition so it was no longer useable.
I still marvel at the depth of her grace and strength when she was widowed with 2 teenagers and a 2-year old. Those 3 children have grown into 3 beautiful and delightfully talented adults; one is a master baker and fitness pole dancer, one a flight attendant, and the youngest a guide at Zion's. Her kind and gentle husband has a passion for steam trains and was instrumental in bringing the Heber Creeper back to life.
One of our favorite traditions when we visit them in Heber is to check the wall behind the kitchen door where all the kids, cousins, friends, aunts, uncles, grannies, gramps and strays have their heights recorded over more than 3 decades of time! And then there are all the times we converge on Heber for family reunions and lake trips, and always feel loved and welcomed.
Oh the memories ~ thank you for being my wonderful Big Sister, Sandra Lee! I ♥ you to pieces!
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