Sandra Davey (Edwards) Waggoner, 83, of Hendersonville, NC, passed away at her home on July 27, 2021. Affectionately known as Sandy, Mom, and Nana, she was born on May 15, 1938 in Philadelphia, PA. She grew up in Stuart and Lake Worth, FL, where she attended Rosarian High School. She was the first of three siblings born to Walter F. Davey MD “Doc” and Elizabeth “Betts” Young Davey and is predeceased by her parents and brother “Jay”, Walter F. Davey Jr. DVM, and survived by her sister Susanne “Suz” D. Rappenecker and brother-in -law Steve live in Gainesville, FL.
Sandy met her first husband, Robert C. Edwards, Jr., “Bob”, deceased 1994, when she was a freshman at Duke University Nursing School. They married and (much to Bob’s chagrin) they had four daughters. In the early years the family moved between NC and SC every few years until they landed in Hendersonville in 1970. Sandy was adept at making every new place into a welcoming home. In the early 80s Sandy worked alongside Bob to help start Young Generations, a girls clothing company, and later to purchase Ruth Originals.
Sandy was always involved with volunteer work. She was a member of the Land O’ Sky Garden Club and she spent many years and hours with the Pardee Hospital Auxiliary as the orientation coordinator and training Pink Lady volunteers.
She was active in the Jr. Welfare Club and was involved in entertainment for the yearly fundraiser. She loved to dance and rehearsed in the garage in front of her audience of 4 girls, paybacks for the endless hours and years of dance recitals she and Dad had to endure.
In 1996 Sandy married a dear family friend, William H. Waggoner, “Bill”, deceased 2013. They loved to travel and spend time in Arizona where Bill had spent much of his childhood. It had to have been true love because Sandy returned from home from their first trip wearing a denim vest and turquoise!
Sandy was a natural beauty, a cheerleader, and homecoming queen. She loved to garden, and loved orchids and pink lady slippers in particular. She was a world-class cook, she loved to host gatherings, she adored and was adored by her friends and neighbors. She loved to play bridge with her friends every Monday, loved chardonnay on ice, and was an avid Duke basketball fan. Most of all she loved Johnny Mathis and her little white dog Sophie.
Sandy spent countless hours baking bread from the starter she was given by her sister Suz many years ago. Her freezer was always full of those loaves of love and she was quick to distribute them to friends on holidays or in times of need. Sandy was supportive, considerate, kind, compassionate and had a keen sense of humor. She was famous for clipping articles from the local paper and mailing them to people she thought would have an interest. She will be remembered for the little pearls of wisdom she peppered us with throughout our lives and her daily mantra of, “I’M FINE.”
Sandy is survived by her daughter Betsy Edwards of Hendersonville, NC; daughter and son-in-law Susan and Mark Sangiolo, West Harwich, MA; daughter and son-in-law Leslie and John Coker, Hendersonville NC; daughter and son-in-law Ashley and Robert Thompson, Birmingham, AL; and her seven grandchildren: Allee Cox, Anne Crowell, Adam Sangiolo, Griffin Thompson, Hannah Coker, Graham Thompson and Bennett Thompson.
Sandy was fortunate to have five loving step-children: Steven Waggoner, Wendy Henderson, Melinda Bryant, Karen Saine, and Pati Waggoner-Meyers and all of their children and grandchildren whom she adored.
We extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all her wonderful friends and neighbors, the staff and caregivers at Lake Point Landing, her hair and nail stylists, her drivers, her Trust advisors, her dog sitters, her doctors and veterinarians. It truly took a village for Sandy to live happily, independent.
Don’t worry Sandy, we will all be fine, but we will all miss you so much.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Community Foundation of Henderson County
Robert C. Edwards Jr. and Sandra Edwards Waggoner Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Community Foundation of Henderson County
401 North Main St, Suite 300
Hendersonville, NC 28792
Private, Family only burial at St. James Memorial Garden
Jackson Funeral Service is assisting the Waggoner family.