Sandra T. Swanson

Carmel ~ Sandra, known as Sandi, was born September 14, 1942 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to Carlos Pereira and Marjorie Francis Pereira. She passed away at age 69 on August 19, 2012 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Gatos, CA, two weeks after a cancer‐related surgery. Sandi was surrounded by her four daughters – Nonae, April, Tiffany and Tamara – during her hospital stay and at the time of her death.

Sandi grew up in the Monterey Peninsula and graduated from Pacific Grove High School in 1960. She attended the Portuguese Festa yearly and was known as “The Queen” for decades after being chosen as the queen of the parade during her teens. In 2007, Sandi retired from her long‐time position as a contracting officer at Randazzo Enterprises, a family‐run demolition business in Castroville, CA. By then, many of her fellow employees had become like a second family to her.

Sandi was an unwavering Democrat who worked the election polls in Monterey County for the past decade. She also worked as a California State Notary and was a licensed massage therapist.

In the last decades of her life, Sandi was almost exclusively known as “Nana,” due to her devotion to her ten grandchildren – Kristin, Jessica, Ariela, Heather, Devin, Travis, Juliet, Savannah, Roman and Amariluna – and her four great‐grandchildren, Sakura, Anya, Emmalynn and Alexia. Her other passions included fishing, camping, music, movies, romance novels, her dog Rikka, and above all, family holidays. Sandi is also survived by her brothers, Kenneth Pereira, of Skyline Forest and Phillip Heberer, of Sonora.

Sandi touched all whom she met with a radiating and infectious warmth and a persistent positivity which she maintained until the last moments of her life. She reached out not only to her immediate family, but also to her extended family and friends on a daily basis, offering her genuine interest, support, and above all, her unconditional love. She was an indispensable figure in the lives of many.

Funeral services will take place at The Paul Mortuary Chapel this Thursday, August 30 at 11:00 AM with visitation until 2:00 PM. Entombment will follow at San Carlos Catholic Cemetery in Monterey at 3:00 PM. A Celebration of Sandra’s Life will be held on her 70th birthday, September 14 at 1:00 PM, also at The Paul Mortuary Chapel. Please visit www.thepaulmortuary.com to sign Sandra’s guest book and leave messages for her family.