Mrs. Sandra June Vinatieri

SANDRA J. VINATIERI, A REMARKABLE LIFE: 1954-2015

The Whittier City Council is saddened to announce the passing of Sandra (Sandy) June Vinatieri, wife of Council Member Joe Vinatieri and mother of Sarah (Dan) Barcroft, Joe (Bethany) Vinatieri and Susanna (Mitchell) Hammond from ALS/Lou Gehrigs Disease.

Sandy was born into a farming family in Laton, California, a small town on the Kings River just north of Hanford. She was born on March 23, 1954 as the middle child of five. Her early life consisted of helping with all the chores involved in running a farm. Her parents later opened a restaurant called Taco Corral where Sandy worked after school and during her college years.

Sandy graduated from Cal State University Fresno where she received a BA in Home Economics which helped her develop her outstanding reputation as an excellent cook and gracious hostess in her home. After college, she worked for the Polaroid Corporation which brought her to San Diego and to the love of her life, Joe. Following their 1980 marriage at College Avenue Baptist Church, Sandy chose to be a full time homemaker.

Oldest daughter Sarah was born in San Diego and shortly thereafter, Joe and Sandy relocated to Joes hometown of Whittier to be closer to family where they established his law practice at Bewley, Lassleben & Miller.

Joe Jr. and Susannas births soon followed and Sandys life was very full caring for her children and maintaining the family home. Shortly after their move to Whittier, Joe and Sandy became members of Plymouth Congregational Church which Joe attended as a youth. While in San Diego, Sandy discovered her love for teaching kids and at Plymouth she coordinated the Sunday School Program for children in grades K thru sixth grade. She eventually organized a childrens puppet ministry.

One of Sandys greatest areas of service was the adoption of Kids Church for the children at Plymouth. Over the last 30 years, she continued her involvement with this childrens ministry touching two generations.

While her three children were attending Plymouth Christian Elementary School, Whittier Christian Jr. High, Heights Christian Jr. High and Whittier High School, Sandy volunteered countless hours thru the PTA organizations as well as in many other capacities at the childrens various schools.

In 1989 Sandy found time to join Assistance League of Whittier. Sandy was immediately recruited to start a new life-size puppet project called Kids on the Block. The first puppet, Mark, was a wheelchair bound child with cerebral palsy. Sandy took Mark to many of the service and social clubs in Whittier asking the clubs to sponsor a puppet. God was gracious to take moms early experience with Mark and make her a real life example of living faithfully in spite of a disability and living well, shared Sarah Barcroft. This program still continues and is presented at elementary schools throughout the greater Whittier area where the puppets provide information on disabilities and social issues.

In 2013 Sandy was honored to receive the Ada Edwards Laughlin Award from the Assistance League for her many years of work and dedication with that organization. This award is the highest honor a Chapter can award one of its members. Sandy was only the eleventh member to receive this award since the Whittier Chapter was chartered in 1954.

In 1992, through Campus Crusade for Christ, Sandy and Joe became involved with Christian ministry in Outer Mongolia located between Russian Siberia and China. Even though formerly communist, after the iron curtain fell, the government realized that in order to be a free market economy, they needed to learn more about America. A Mongolian television film crew was coming to the US to make six thirty minute vignettes about life in America. Sandy and Joe volunteered to be the host Los Angeles home for this film crew. The Vinatieri family was the subject of one of the thirty minute vignettes about the American Family.

The film crew primarily followed Sandy every day as she shopped, took kids to school, went to church and worked. Of the six vignettes, the most popular shown in Mongolia was the American Family starring Sandy and the family. The Mongolian people wanted to see it over and over again. They were amazed at the respect given women and children and that Sandy drove a car! The people couldnt believe that there were supermarkets where you could actually touch the food, pick what you wanted and put it in a basket. Several years later the entire Vinatieri family was invited to visit Mongolia and this red-headed family was treated like movie stars.

Through the years, Sandy made many repeat visits to Mongolia where at the invitation of the Government, she instructed local elementary teachers on how to teach morals and values to children. Because of her dedication to this ministry, her last visit to Mongolia occurred after the diagnosis of her illness. Sandys love and commitment to children and their teachers was profound and deep. So deep that she was willing to travel to some of the most remote locations in Mongolia and give herself and share her experiences. I was privileged to be her roommate, said Nancy Pryor.

In July 2011, Sandy was diagnosed with ALS. This diagnosis changed her life in some ways, but continued as normal in others. Her love for God, Mongolia, kids, and Assistance League continued on. Even as her physical abilities diminished, she still found ways to stay in support of Joe and the family; travel to Italy, Maine, and Monterey; stay involved with kids ministry at Plymouth, host bible study at her home and enjoy her garden. Her life was full and blessed, even to the end, said Sarah Barcroft.

A Celebration of Life will be held this Saturday, April 18, 1 pm at Plymouth Congregational Church located at 12058 Beverly Boulevard, Whittier, California 90601. Entrance to the Church is off of Magnolia. There will be a reception following the Celebration. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested donations be made to Plymouth Church, Sandy V Mongolia Ministry or Assistance League of Whittier, Sandy V Endowment Fund, 6339 S. Greenleaf, Whittier, California 90601.