Sandra Mae Jones

Sandra Mae Brady Jones passed away on October 13, 2024, at the age of 81, after a brief hospital stay. She was surrounded by loved ones in her final hours.

Sandy was born on April 30, 1943, in Durango, Colorado, to Evelyn and LaVere Brady. The eldest of ten children, Sandy grew up in a family that also welcomed several foster and honorary children. They moved many times, living in homes, farms and ranches in southwest Colorado, Boise, and Utah Valley.

As a young girl, Sandy worked alongside her father in the fields, even driving a tractor into a ditch at the age of five. She was perhaps less helpful in the kitchen; when tasked by her mother to kill and dress a chicken, she and her sister Melva spared the chicken and brought it to the kitchen in an actual dress instead.

Following graduation from Borah High School in Boise, Idaho, she attended Boise State College and apprenticed to a dentist, training to become a hygienist. She put her career on hold to marry Don Jones in 1962. They spent their honeymoon driving from Idaho to Massachusetts for his Army basic training. While Don was stationed overseas, Sandy lived with family in Idaho and Utah, where their first child, Jeffrey Donald, was born in July 1963. Over the next 23 years, Sandy and Don welcomed three more boys and six girls.

Though her education was interrupted, Sandy’s love of learning never wavered. In her early 60s, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from BYU. She was a voracious reader and gave particular care to teaching her children to read. She also dedicated time daily to scripture study, carefully marking and cross-referencing her well-worn scriptures. She studied Tagalog for her mission with Don to the Philippines and later learned Spanish for her missionary service in Salt Lake after their divorce in 2011.

Sandy was a skilled writer, known for typing journal entries, school assignments, articles, and countless letters on her trusty IBM Selectric. Her passion for music began in high school when she would walk to the LDS chapel in the early morning to practice the organ. Later in life, she composed music and played her cherished piano at home.

She radiated sweetness and empathy. She carried the loss of her infant brother Max throughout her life and would often speak of how brave he was and how much she missed him. Everyone who met her was drawn to her warmth, and her children often hear the familiar request from both old and new friends: 'Be sure to tell your mom hello for me’. While her gentle nature endeared her to everyone, she could be fiercely protective, surprising anyone who had the misfortune of crossing her.

Her life was marked by service—to her family as the eldest of 10 siblings, to her own children, as the wife of an LDS bishop, and as a leader in church auxiliaries. She also served as a missionary and a temple worker, and grandmother to her 33 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. After a major health event in 2019, Sandy finally found time to rest, spending her later years indulging in Westerns and dreaming about cowboys.

Sandy was whip smart and had a clever sense of humor. She loved parties, candy and ice cream. She hung on every last word uttered by a child or grandchild as if it was the most insightful thing ever. She read How to Eat Fried Worms to her kids and gathered them around the piano to sing every night. She treasured lunches and dinners with her sisters and brothers.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Evelyn and LaVere, her brother Max, her sisters Melva and Joycelyn, her granddaughter Alexandra, grandson Moses, and great-granddaughter Everly.

Sandy is survived by her siblings Connie, Vaughn, Dale, Vicki, Brenda, and Dymon, as well as her ten devoted children—Jeff, Darryl, Kevin, Cheri, Michelle, Karla, Kristyn, Lori, Tiffany, and Adam— each of whom knows they were her favorite.

Her family would like to thank Berit, Rebecca, Shirley, and the many other caregivers from Holladay Home Care who provided loving support during the final months of her life. They also extend heartfelt gratitude to the medical professionals, EMTs, and rehabilitation teams who helped Sandy recover from several health challenges in recent years. Special thanks go to the friends, neighbors, and LDS church members who checked on her, responded to emergencies, and ensured she was never truly alone.

A viewing is scheduled for Friday, October 18, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Anderson & Goff Mortuary, 11859 South 700 East, Draper, UT. A second viewing will be held on Saturday, October 19, 9:30-10:30 am at the same location, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am. Interment will take place at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, UT.

The service will be livestreamed on the Anderson & Goff Mortuary Facebook Page at the following link: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Funeral-Service---Cemetery/Anderson-Goff-Mortuary-293949407707203/

(The livestream video will appear when the service starts.)