Sandra Handy

Sandra Corinne Jordan Handy returned home to her Heavenly Father on Sunday, April 29, 2018, after a brief illness.  Sandra was born on December 27, 1943 in Champion, Alberta, Canada to Carman Jordan and Velna (Thompson) Jordan.

Sandra was raised as a farmer’s daughter on the prairies of Alberta and loved the simple farm life.  She had fond memories of her childhood, her school days, and her older brother Gayle and younger sister Linda.  She attended university in Alberta for two years to become a teacher and then became an intern teacher for two years.  During her probationary teaching, she converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She then attended Brigham Young University to resume her studies for a teaching degree before transferring to Weber State University, where she graduated.

In 1967, Sandra began working at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB) as a teacher.  She also met and married Leonard Robert Handy and became a step-mother to his 5 children.  During her early years at USDB, she and Leonard housed and fostered several of her students.  They later had 3 children together.

They lived in Calgary and Nanton Alberta from about 1973 to 1978, before moving to Syracuse in 1978.  At that time, she returned to work at USDB as a teacher of young children with visual impairments and other special needs, and the parent infant program (PIP) coordinator, and as an administrator.  She was well respected and loved, and received the ‘Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award from the A.E.R. in 2006.  Sandra loved her work with young children with visual and other impairments and was much loved by her students and their families.  She enjoyed reading books, writing poetry, doing puzzles, and painting.  In March 2011, Sandra received a life-prolonging kidney transplant for which she and her family were very thankful.

Sandra was preceded in death by her husband Leonard.  She is survived by her children Russell (Lydia) Handy, of Pine Dale, Wyoming; Douglas (Minette) Handy, of Syracuse; Catherine (Steve) Clifford, of Ogden; RoseMarie Hughes (Mary George), of Ogden; Johanna (Shane) Thorson, of Ogden; Cheryl Handy, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Grant (Wendy) Handy, of Clearfield; and James (Annalis) Handy, of Raritan, New Jersey.  She had 21 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.  Also surviving are her foster son, Jimmy Sutton, and his mother Kathi; her brother Gayle (Helen) Jordan and sister Linda (Robert) Hearsey of British Columbia, Canada, and their families.  She had many other dear friends and family of the heart who will miss her.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS Syracuse Center Ward Chapel, 2228 S. 1660 W. in Syracuse. Friends may visit family Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.  Interment at Syracuse Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, the American Kidney Fund, or the American Transplant Foundation.