Sandy Kimber was one of the most influential people in my life. She passed away August 28, 2013 and I had the opportunity to pay my last respects today in beautiful Huntington Beach.
Sandy was the mom of one of my best friends in elementary school, Zach. My brother and I used to go over to the Kimber house on the regular to play basketball and hang out with Zach and other friends.
“Auntie Sandy,” as my brother and I affectionately called her, was always warm and welcoming, constantly cracking jokes and making our visits so much fun. She would drive a bunch of us to the beach to enjoy a day in the sun and take us on food runs – life was a fun adventure and there were so many things to explore.
Imagine my surprise when she became my fifth grade teacher! Her class was equally fun and all the students adored her and learned a bunch at the same time. One of the most lasting impressions of Mrs. Kimber was how much she valued integrity and encouraged us to put integrity first, always.
Auntie Sandy was like a second mom to me, treating me as one of her own, encouraging me in my pursuits (I was a huge bookworm and she would constantly be asking about my latest book), and supporting the team (Zach and I were in the same youth basketball league).
Sandy Kimber was fun-loving, always caring, and larger than life. I’m glad to have had the honor of being her student and friend, and I’ll miss her so much.
