Sandy Openshaw Saunders was born Sept. 14, 1942, the first child of M.S. (Si) Openshaw and Veneda Openshaw at Sisters Hospital in Santa Maria. She died of pancreatic cancer on Sept. 2, 2020, 12 days before her 78th birthday.

She attended Orcutt Union School, El Camino Jr. High and graduated from Santa Maria High School in 1960. She attended Allan Hancock College and San Jose State.

Sandy was the best wife, sister and aunt. She was very loyal to her many friends, many of whom she met in kindergarten through high school. The most important things to Sandy were God and family.

Her first job at 16 was ticket-seller at the Santa Maria Theater, followed by being a travel agent for more than 50 years, starting in Santa Maria, Scottsdale, North Shore Lake Tahoe, and finishing up her much-loved travel career in Westlake Village.

Sandy was married for a short time to Norman Hays, the “boy next door.” She has traveled to every continent in the world except Antartica. She always brought home great stories and photos (many times with her finger covering the lens/picture).

She worked out of her home for Michael’s Travel, Westlake Village after her marriage until two months before she left us.

Sandy married Gary Saunders, a lifelong family friend in 2012. They resided in Shell Beach.

Sandy was preceded in death by her parents Si and Veneda Openshaw, and brother Alan. She is survived by her husband Gary; sisters Karen Cordary and Deby Flynn (Ed) of Santa Maria; nieces Kelly Flynn, (JJ and Kayla Ughoc) and Shannon Verbryke (Easton), all of Santa Maria; and nephew Nicholas Cordary (Quinn) of Burbank.

The family would like to thank Hospice for its excellent care and comfort, along with Gary and Deby and Linda and Steve for their loving devotion and care of Sandy in her last days. Because of COVID-19, there will be a celebration of life for Sandy at a later date.

Please make donations in Sandy’s name to Hats for Hope, P.O. Box 139 Arroyo Grande, CA 93421

To leave a condolence for the family, visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com.

Arrangements by Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens.