SANDRA ELIZABETH WILLIAMS

Sandra Elizabeth Williams, 83, died at her home in the Hurricane section of Wise on Friday, December 9, 2022.

Sandra was born in Benham, Kentucky where her mother taught school and her father worked for International Harvester Company. Her family moved to Wise in 1951. She graduated from J.J. Kelly High School in 1956 and attended Clinch Valley College. In 1960 she graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. degree in Government.

After graduating from college, Sandra lived in Washington, D.C., and taught school in nearby Maryland. After teaching for two years, she worked as a flight attendant and lived in Dallas, Texas and later in Tiburon, California, a beautiful small town in Marin County, across the bay from San Francisco. After suffering and partially recovering from a debilitating illness, she wrote appellate briefs for private attorneys in Marin County. Sandra had many fond memories of living in California and of friends there. Among other things, she was an active member of Common Cause and for a number of years belonged to a "Great Books" book club.

She moved back to Wise in 1978 to live in a house that she and her family built in an old apple orchard on a farm that belonged to her maternal grandparents. Sandra enjoyed being back in Wise among familiar places and her relatives. She did legal research and writing in Wise. She was involved with several environmental issues, and she was a founding member of the Wise Clean County Committee. She was also a member of the Wise County Planning Commission where she served on a subcommittee that helped draft the county's first zoning ordinance, and a subcommittee that updated the county comprehensive plan in the 1990s. She enjoyed being a member of the Wise Friends of the Library for many years. She said that one of the rewards of being involved in these organizations was getting to know many interesting and committed people that she might never have known otherwise.

Sandra was predeceased by her parents, Bess Barker Williams and Clyde Williams; her sister, Carol Sue Gilbert; her brother-in-law, Sam Gilbert and her brother, Rodney Williams.

Sandra is survived by two brothers, Robert Williams and Richard Williams of Petaluma, California; nephew, Steven Gilbert; niece, Margaret Hamilton (husband David) of Roanoke, Virginia; grandnephew, Andrew Hamilton of Arlington, Virginia and grandniece, Emily Hamilton of Washington, D.C.

Sandra’s family will fondly remember her lively political discourse, great taste in literature, and perspective of world culture as seen through her international travel earlier in life. Sandra was very appreciative of the support she received from her family, especially from her brothers Rodney and Bob, who gave up their lives for months at a time to come to Wise to help care for her. She was grateful for the kind care she received from several helpers and nurses.

Please visit www.sturgillfuneral.com to leave online condolences for the family.

Sturgill Funeral Home 1621 Norton Road SW Wise, VA 24293 is in charge of arrangements.