Sandra Lynn Gordy

Sandra Lynn Gordy, née Skinner, 67, faithful follower of Christ Jesus; loving wife, mother, and grandmother; devoted daughter and sister, died peacefully from complications due to ovarian cancer on August 15 at Harris Hospice at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center, surrounded by her large and extended family.

Born the second child and oldest daughter to David and Rose Skinner in Flint, Michigan, on June 11, 1959, Sandy helped her four younger sisters and younger brother adjust to a number of family moves to different states and cities before graduating with honors from Elkhart Memorial High School in Elkhart, Indiana, in 1977. It was in Elkhart that Sandy met and fell in love with her husband and the rock of her remarkable stability, Rick Gordy, whom she married in 1986.

After graduating from Indiana University in 1983, Sandy began a 43 year career in nursing, later to be joined in the nursing profession by three of her sisters. In 1988, she and Rick followed her parents to Charlotte, where they raised an ever growing family that began with their son Ryan, born in Elkhart. In Charlotte, Jake was born in 1990, followed by Jack in 1998 and Matt in 2000.

In addition to working full time as a nurse at local hospitals, Sandy had the stamina and determination to homeschool all of her sons through the eighth grade, while still finding the time to train and lovingly spoil six family dogs. Her six grandchildren brought Sandy immeasurable joy. When Matt married Faith in 2023, Sandy discovered many new reasons to rejoice in how much God had blessed her. That knowledge helped sustain her through the deaths of two of her beloved sisters, Joelle Smith (Steve) in 2021 and Kristin in 2022, both of whom Sandy cared for and comforted in their final days and hours. She lived to witness her four children grow up and mature into fine young men, and she was always a favorite aunt and role model to her fifteen nieces and nephews.

Sandy is survived by her husband, Rick; her children, Ryan (Kelly), Jake (Tasha), Jack, and Matt (Faith); her parents, David Sr. and Rose; her brothers, David Jr. (Carol) and Douglas (Lili); her sisters, Shelly Terlep (Tim) and Sheryl; her grandchildren, Hailey, Eden, Tegan, Camden, Luke, and Carter; as well as her beloved dog, Ike, and granddogs Bubba and Wemby.

She leaves behind countless friends met through work and family, with whom she maintained close relationships throughout the many decades of her life. Along with her deep and ever abiding faith in God, it was the moments she spent with such people that Sandy cherished more than anything else in this world.

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

— Matthew 25:21 (KJV)