Sandra Sawyer Jay

August 2, 1951 - May 25, 2023

Sandra Jay passed away peacefully in San Francisco on May 25, 2023 after a short illness.

Born in Stockton, California to Llewellyn and Lenora Sawyer, she had a happy 1950s childhood and enjoyed backpacking, camping, art, and playing the piano. She attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School. She moved to San Francisco and enrolled at San Francisco State University, graduated with a B.A. in Elementary Education, earned a teaching credential for Special Education, and spent the next 30 years teaching multi-handicapped children.

In San Francisco she met her husband, Leonard Jay, and for more than 40 years they travelled together, enjoyed theater, opera, symphonies, museums, and many of the other attractions that the City had to offer. When Sandy and Lenny were blessed with two wonderful children, son Gregory and daughter Emily, Sandy made sure they grew up in a happy, loving world of arts and crafts, music and dance, zoo and museum visits, surfing, rock concerts, summers on the water, vacations near and far, and fun holidays. An excellent cook, Sandy passed her kitchen skills on to both kids, including how to make homemade ice cream on the back porch. One memorable event that Sandy organized was a yearly camping trip with cousins and friends at Butano State Park. Every October they would hike in the woods, sit around the campfire roasting (and burning) marshmallows, and head for the beach to explore tide pools and play football in the sand. The weekend would end with a visit to the pumpkin patch where everyone would select their soon to be jacko’-lanterns for Halloween. Spending time with Sandy meant fun, and the happiness she found in life spread to all who knew her. The world is diminished without her in it.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Susan. She is survived by her husband Leonard, their children Gregory and Emily, her brother Steve, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and many cousins; she once mentioned that she had 39 first cousins and knew all of them. If friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the SPCA, St. Jude Children’s hospital, or the charity of their choice. A celebration of her life will take place with immediate family on a future date.