Sandra "Sandy" Lee Walker

In the last year, she faced heart and mobility challenges with equal parts stoicism and stubbornness; although her heart was on the mend, her lungs were too exhausted to continue. However, she left as she wanted: living in the beautiful Newman Lake home she had built from scratch with Warren. Sandy was born in Yakima, Washington in 1942 to Claire and Charles McNeill.

Sandy was imbued with resilience and independence from an early age, experiencing a long childhood illness and the loss of her younger brother, Jimmy, and father, Charles, when she was 16. Sandy met her future husband, Warren Walker, before attending Central Valley High School. Both enrolled at Washington State University, with Sandy studying art and Warren focused on agriculture. They married in June, 1961, and a few years later moved to California where they had Lisa and Jodi. They returned home to Spokane in 1979, and in 1990 built their forever home near Newman Lake. The Newman Lake property was their pride and their haven. Sandy quickly went to work thinning the lodge-pole pines and planting spruce trees throughout the property, coaxing them to flourish. Her raised garden beds were teeming with vegetables every summer and her multiple potted plants were lush and glorious.

Sandy had a love of all things creative, artistic, and beautiful. Over the years, she immersed herself in needlepoint, toll painting, growing geraniums from seed, designing garden beds, canning fruits and vegetables, and raising orchids (she had an entire room devoted to her orchids). She also loved to read—Steven King was a favorite. However, more than her love of plants and art was her love of dogs. Each dog in her life was the most important—from Jackie and Desi, to Angie, to Chelsea, to Niko, and finally, to Cooper. Sandy is survived by Cooper, as well as her daughter Lisa Whitley (and husband, Eric), Jodi Slavik (and husband, Jack), and grandchildren Carmen Whitley, Erin Whitley, Charlie Slavik, and Lucy Slavik. Her husband, Warren Walker, passed in 2019.

Sandy was equal parts stubborn and sweet, tough and soft, grouchy and giggly, independent and connected. No one gives a better gift or a better hug. Those who knew Sandy well will not be surprised that she requested no services. She was most content when sitting with her dog, looking at her flower gardens. We trust she is doing that right now. No flowers, please, but if you feel compelled, you can donate in her memory to the Spokane Humane Society at spokanehumanesociety.org.