Sandra Widenhouse

Sandra, known as Sandy, Mom, and Mimi to her loved ones, lived 83 exciting years before passing on peacefully Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Born Thursday, September 25, 1941 in Iredell County, NC, Sandra shared many years of her life with her daughter Rene, son Richard Tate, grandson Shane, and granddaughter Olivia. We know it’s impossible to condense her life down to a few lines of text. Mimi has always been so, so much more – her life so full of creativity and love, the pursuit of knowledge and an eye for all things beautiful – she made everything around her magical. Our childhoods and grandchildhoods could not have been more special and intentional without her touch and the flare that made Mimi unique.

Mimi was always described as a life-long learner. Inquisitiveness and education were important values she held herself and instilled in all of us. She carried a pocket dictionary in her purse and put dots by the words she would look up throughout the day – whether from a book, newspaper, radio, or a conversation heard in passing. And she would often quiz us on it later. She loved maps, both studying the geography and drawing them on her beloved draft table – the former love she passed on to her daughter. She loved history and the mysteries of societies before us, and enjoyed spending time in museums pondering over the carefully crafted artifacts and history that had been brought through the ages. It wasn’t just the journey of man through history, she had a deep love of storytelling in all mediums. She adored movies, books, plays, musicals, ballets, and the orchestra. Her singing voice was as melodic as she was beautiful – she performed Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend when she won the Miss Concord pageant around 1960. And she wore a black velvet jumpsuit that she had made for the show that fit her like a glove – cheers to you Miss Concord.

She channeled that creativity into her own endeavors – she pursued whatever piqued her interests. Oil pastels were one of her favorite art mediums, and she loved working with watercolors, charcoal pencils and colored pencils, drawing and inking, and pottery. She was a seamstress and loved beautiful fabrics. She has made ornate outfits for us all, whether costumes or pillowcases or performance clothes, she created her own pieces to fulfill the vision that she had in her mind. She had a clear skill in bringing aesthetics together. Her work was as an interior decorator, where she designed showrooms and frequented the furniture marker in High Point. Her hand has touched the design of all of our homes, and we feel her resonance in the comfort she created in our spaces.

Her energy wasn’t contained to her creativity – she was an athlete and encouraged that in all of her family. In high school, Sandra played basketball, and growing up she was at all of my basketball games. She loved watching Duke games with Tate and Shane, and if they weren’t together then she’d make sure to call to talk about the game made everyone feel. She was an avid water skier when she was younger, able to ski barefoot and competently weave through the slalom courses. She played competitive women’s tennis, a spot she had a lifelong love for and watched many of us play over her lifetime. And she was also a bowling champ, taking Rene and Tate as kids to the league nights while she competed with her team.

And to us children and grandchildren, she was an incredibly involved Mom and Mimi. She gave the greatest pep talks and truly meant every word – believes that we are all capable and deserving of good things. She was fiercely loyal to our family and never hesitated to stand up for all of us. She always asked if my bosses were treating me well and appreciating me enough, and reminded me to respect myself when others didn’t. And to always only give my best. She made us feel better on any bad day by affirming our feelings and offering guidance that was good for our growth. She imparted on all our childhood’s a love of discovery, culture, arts, knowledge, and physical health. Whatever she touched was magic. We – Rene, Tate, Shane, and Olivia, have all been the luckiest people to know her love.

To Sandra Widenhouse – Artist, Educator, Learner, Interior Decorator, Seamstress, Singer, Athlete, Cook, Repair-woman, Believer in Democracy and Passionate Voter, Fashion-icon, Miss Concord, Friend of Nature, Board Game Strategist, Best Friend, and Loving Grandmother and Mother – we love you always and forever.

A green burial will be held on Wednesday, March 26 at 12:00 pm at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary.