SANDRA
“Hidden within your name is a special story”
S is for sweet, the gentleness you gave.
A is for affectionate, always ready with a hug.
N is for nurturing, a steady presence for those you loved.
D is for devoted, to family through and through.
R is for radiant, your light filling every room you entered.
A is for accepting, your forgiving, gracious heart.
Born on February 15, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, Sandra Rebecca Jones was the youngest child and cherished “baby” of Elouise White and John Nelson Jones. She was the adored little sister of Robert (Bobby), Elaine, and William (Billy). From the moment she arrived, Sandra was her father’s heart, and everyone who met her was drawn to her beauty and gentle spirit—often before she ever said a word.
Sandra grew up in a busy household, first in Brooklyn and later in Queens, where family life meant church on Sundays, picnics and beach trips in the summer, shingling the house together, and weekly shopping trips to the A&P where her mother expected all hands on deck. As the youngest by several years, Sandra spent her childhood looking up to her older siblings and trying to make them proud—something she never stopped doing.
A dancer at heart. Sandra’s father recognized her gift early and sent her to dance school, where she studied ballet and other styles. She never lost her love for moving to music. In high school she performed with musical groups and joined clubs that let her express herself through dance. Years later, she and her husband Earl would light up a dance floor together—though she always insisted she was the better dancer. She was right.
Fashion, elegance, and quiet confidence. Sandra loved to dress well and carried herself with a neat, attractive style that stayed with her throughout her life. Her sister Elaine remembers: “She was always a pretty baby and a pretty child. Everybody took a liking to her immediately—without her even opening up her mouth.” Sandra’s father always loved her hair, and she took pride in her appearance as a way of honoring herself and the people around her.
School and work. Sandra’s education took her from PS 28 in Brooklyn to PS 40 in Queens—a rough transition the whole family remembers—and then to Jamaica High School, where she was involved in activities like volleyball, tennis, and the secretarial program that would shape her career. She went on to work as a secretary and typist for Group and Family Services in Jamaica, Queens, where co‑workers knew her as soft‑spoken, dependable, and kind.
A love story told two ways. One night at a house party in Queens, a young man named Earl Eugene Thomas spotted the quiet girl along the wall and decided to talk to her. Earl’s version of the story was that he was smooth, cool, and swept Sandra off her feet. Sandra’s version—the real one—was that he was a little goofy, doing funny dance moves and trying his best to impress her. “He couldn’t really dance, so I had to dance with him,” she would say, laughing. What they both agreed on: they laughed, they danced, and she discovered in him someone fun, sincere, and protective. Their relationship had its youthful break‑ups and make‑ups, but Earl was always crazy about her. He even left Florida A&M University and came back to New York after Sandra wrote that she was lonely and couldn’t stand being away from him. He got a job as an electrician with the New York Transit Authority so they could build a life together.
Two children, one gentle heart. Sandra and Earl were blessed with two children, Kimani and Karim Thomas, whom they raised in New York City before moving to Florida to retire in 2002. As a family they went through many tough times and good times, but Sandra’s way of guiding her children relied more on gentle conversations than on harsh consequences. There was one memorable day when she tried to “be strict” and quickly found that it hurt her heart more than theirs. The moment she saw how upset they were, her own tears came, and the children ended up comforting her. From then on, they tried their best not to be the cause of their mother’s tears. It became an unspoken promise that shaped how they treated her and each other.
Sandra and Kimani shared a bond that started early. When it was time for that first day of school, she learned to drive so she could handle the drop‑off and return to work. The two of them became a team in the car—Kimani reminding her about mirrors and turn signals from the passenger seat while Sandra steadied her nerves behind the wheel. “Don’t worry, Mommy, you got this,” was the refrain, and she did. That partnership carried through their lives; Sandra believed there was nothing Kimani couldn’t do, and that confidence helped shape the person Kimani became.
Over the years, both Kimani and Karim saw her as a quiet anchor: the one who listened, who tried to soften conflict, and who wanted most of all for her children to be safe and at peace with each other. Even when life grew complicated, her hope for them never changed.
Life in Florida. After Earl retired, the family settled in Florida, eventually making a home in Valrico. Sandra continued to be the quiet rock of her household—supporting her husband, loving her children into adulthood, and tending to the countless details that hold a family together behind the scenes. She found joy in good music, dancing when the mood struck, a well‑put‑together outfit, and long conversations with the people she loved most.
Strength through struggle. Sandra faced significant health challenges with courage, including a battle with cancer. Through it all, she was more worried about others’ feelings than about her own pain. She often kept her worries inside so as not to burden the people around her—a trait her family recognized as both her grace and her sacrifice. Her quiet strength, forgiving nature, and ability to see the best in those she loved became the hallmarks of her character.
Her legacy. Sandra was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Earl Eugene Thomas (November 11, 2009); her parents, John Nelson and Elouise Jones; and her brother Robert (Bobby) Jones. She leaves to cherish her memory her children, Kimani Thomas and Karim Thomas; her sister, Elaine Jones; her brother, William “Billy” Jones; nieces, nephews, cousins, the extended Jones and Thomas families, and a host of dear friends and neighbors who were touched by her kindness.
Sandra’s life was quiet in volume but rich in love. She will be remembered for her soft smile, her graceful way of moving through a room, her willingness to listen, and the hugs that made everything feel a little more bearable. She leaves behind a legacy of gentleness, loyalty, and quiet strength that her family will carry forward.
She will be greatly missed.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81857128255?pwd=XinCo3tnh2IggzW0r52vFWuva8psW1.1
Meeting ID: 818 5712 8255
Passcode: 828133
Previous Events
Visitation
19
Mar
10510 Riverview Dr.
Riverview, FL 33578
Memorial Service
19
Mar
10510 Riverview Dr.
Riverview, FL 33578
Memorial Service
19
Mar
