Sandra Louise Kuykendall, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Llano, Texas. She was 82 years old. A graveside memorial service will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Kuykendall Cemetery in Cherokee, Texas. Prior to the service, the family invites friends and loved ones to join them for a luncheon beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Cherokee Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Blaylock Funeral Home in San Saba.
Born in Brady, Texas, on January 12, 1943, Sandy was the daughter of Louise and Worth Jones. As a child, she moved with her family through various Texas towns, but the one constant in her life was visiting her beloved grandparents, Grandmother and Grandfather Burnam, in Cherokee. It was during one of these visits that Sandy met the love of her life, Lovell Kuykendall. The two were married on July 30, 1960, at her grandparents’ home in Cherokee.
Sandy and Lovell’s journey took them from Big Spring to Brady, and then to Kansas City in 1965 when Lovell took a job with the American Hereford Association. Sandy was dedicated to her family, and once her children were school-aged, she worked briefly for the Olathe, Kansas Chamber of Commerce before spending many years at Exxon Mobil, where she retired in 2001. After retiring, she and Lovell built their dream home on the family ranch, where they spent many joyful years together.
Sandy was a woman of many talents, all of which she poured into creating a warm and loving home for her family. She was known for her quiet strength, kindness, and selflessness. Her creative spirit was evident in her beautiful cooking, gardening, quilting, and decorating. Sandy was especially proud of being recognized as a Master Gardener, a testament to her love for nature and nurturing. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother, always placing her family’s needs above her own.
Sandy was preceded in death by her husband, Lovell Kuykendall, who passed away on June 27, 2024. She is survived by her son, Jim Kuykendall of Lake Placid, NY; her daughters, Karen Blanco and her husband, Luis, of Austin, TX, and Donna Stewart and her husband, Darin, of Olathe, KS; her grandchildren, Clay Stewart and his wife, Elle, Alyson Stewart and her fiancé, Will, and Kyle Blanco; and her great-grandchildren, Lewie and Norman Stewart. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Bobby and Eloisa Jones, and several nieces and nephews.
Sandy’s legacy will live on through the love she shared, the lessons she taught, and the memories she created with all those who were fortunate enough to know her. She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association: Tributes-AlzheimersChampions, the Cherokee Baptist Church, 102 Aztec Street, Cherokee TX 76832 or a charity of your choice in her memory.