Sandra Estelle Wray

12/23/1945 – 7/1/2011

Sandra Estelle Prestridge was born on December 23rd, 1945 to Rex Leland and Velva Pearl Prestridge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her family lived for a short time in Grants, New Mexico, before moving for good back to Albuquerque, taking up residence in the South Valley. A couple of years later her sister, Pamela Garcia, was welcomed into the family.

Sandy, as she was called, attended Rio Grande High School. During her senior year, she met and married her first husband, John A. Garcia Jr. They moved to Southbend Indiana, where her husband was finishing up his schooling at Notre Dame University. While there she completed her GED in order to obtain her High School Diploma.

While in Southbend, Sandy gave birth to her first child – John Anthony Garcia III. Upon her husband, John’s, Graduation from Notre Dame, the family moved to Fort Riley, Kansas, as her husband had joined the Army and was in training prior to being shipped to Vietnam to fight in the war. While there at Fort Riley, Sandy’s second and final child, Pamela Marye Garcia, was born.

Upon her husband’s return from the war the family moved to back Albuquerque to be closer to family and friends. Not long after, Sandy and John divorced. After about a year or so later Sandy remarried. Along with her new husband, Mike Cochran, Sandy and the kids moved out to California for a new start, landing in Torrance for a short period before finally settling in the South Bay area.

Once in California Sandy started on her career as a secretary in the legal field, a field she would work in for over 43 years.

Sandy raised her two children in the South bay, seeing them through High School and College. Along the way she divorced her second husband and remarried for a third time. That marriage only lasted a short time before it also ended in divorce.

A short time later she met the love of her life, Leonard Blevins. They enjoyed 27 years together.

Sandy worked in the legal field for over 43 years. Starting as a legal secretary, Sandy advanced to office administration, and finally office manager before retiring in January of 2008. She truly loved her job, nurturing many life long friendships along the way. Although only achieving a GED, she mastered computer hardware and software repair, which she utilized extensively at work and at home, where she would help anyone who needed help with setting-up or repairing their computer.

Sandy loved family. She was there for her children’s weddings, and for the birth of her grandchildren – Noelle Garcia, Melissa Garcia, and Ian Garcia. She was unable to attend the birth of her youngest grandchild, Samantha Musgraves, as she had suffered a fall, but was there in spirit. She saw all their graduations from kindergarten through high school. She attended the grandparent’s day at their school, 12 in all, their music recitals, their cheerleading competitions, and their soccer and basketball games, and of course their birthdays.

Sandy loved the family gathering, with Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas being opportunities for her to cook a huge feast. The food was always great and the family looked so forward to those feast.

Sandy was a huge Elvis fan, as well as I Love Lucy. She loved to read her novels, watch her crime shows, and play card with her dear friends Nancy and Danny.

The last few years she battled numerous health issues and passed away peaceful on July 1, 2011 with her family by her side.

She is survived by the love of her life, Leonard Blevins, her son, John A. Garcia III and his wife, Madelyn Garcia, her daughter Pam Garcia, her grandchildren, Noelle Garcia, Melissa Garcia, Ian Garcia, and Samantha Musgraves, her sister Pam Garcia, and her two Nephew Rex Garcia and his wife Monica, and her other nephew Ron Garcia Jr. and her great niece Samantha and step-son Dwayne Blevins.A memorial service will be held Saturday July 16th 2011 at 11 A.M. in Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Chapel and her ashes are to be scattered in Hyer, New Mexico