Obituary of Sandra Ruth Meek

Sandra Ruth Pitts Meek went to be with the Lord on Monday, July 15, 2024. Sandra was preceded in death by her spouse James “Jim” LeRoy Meek, by her parents, Henry Grady and Mildred Ann Skaloud Pitts and her brother, Gerald Grady Pitts. Remaining family left to cherish Sandra’s memory include her daughter, Laurel Rebecca Meek Spence, son David Mitchell Meek, and granddaughters Madeleine Renee, Katherine Grace and Julia Noelle Spence; along with a host of many other dear family and friends.

Sandra was a native Houstonian born at St. Joseph’s Hospital on August 15, 1941. She was a resident of the Garden Oaks community until the age of 6 when her parents relocated the family to Sweetwater, Texas. Always the academic, she was honored as Salutatorian of the 1959 graduating class of Sweetwater High School. She then moved down the road to attend Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) in Abilene, Texas. This move changed her life as she met her future spouse Jim at a church service one night while he was stationed at Dyess Air Force base in Abilene. Sandra graduated from HSU in 1963 and proceeded to teach school for two years in McCamey, Texas. Sandra and Jim were then married on July 3, 1965, at First Baptist Church in Sweetwater, Texas. The newly married couple moved to Jim’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama to be near his family. Sandra worked as an assistant editor for publications of the Woman’s Missionary Union in Birmingham for five years. This was a great fit for her as she was later labeled as a “grammar cop” by her children and grandchildren. Once having children, Sandra took care of the family as a stay-at-home mom. Years later the couple and their two children moved back to Houston to pursue a new career opportunity for Jim. Soon thereafter they moved to Fort Worth for another job change for Jim. While in Fort Worth, Sandra worked as assistant director of a church-based childcare facility and then later as an administrative assistant at University Baptist Church. Some years later after becoming grandparents, the couple moved back to the Houston area to reside in Pearland, Texas to live near their daughter and granddaughters. Their son David moved to Pearland to join the family real estate and property management business several years later. Thus, the family was happily reunited.

Sandra was a woman of faith and was a member of Willow Meadows Baptist Church (WMBC) in Houston for 20 years. She also worked as an administrative assistant at WMBC. Sandra was kind, caring, compassionate, shy, gentle, talented and meticulous in her everyday life. She was concerned about the greater good of humankind and aimed to make the world a better place by touching one life at a time with goodness and light. She enjoyed playing piano, singing in the church choir, sewing, crocheting, reading, scrapbooking and genealogy. She was proud of her Czech roots and learned and catalogued her family’s history quite extensively.

Sandra was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in her late 60s. She battled this progressive and non-curable disease bravely for well over a decade. Once losing her spouse Jim in death, she had difficulty regaining her bearings after depending upon his companionship and love for the prior almost 60 years. He was her unwavering caregiver until his death. Thank you to The Shores at Clear Lake for providing an extended family of friends and community through their assisted living program. The family is also grateful for Tuscany Village in Pearland and to Village Home Health and Hospice for their care during Sandra’s last days on earth.

In lieu of flowers, Sandra’s family suggests that contributions be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation.

The public is invited to a Celebration of Sandra’s life at Willow Meadows Baptist Church (4300 W. Bellfort St, Houston, Texas 77035) on Sunday, July 28 beginning at 2:00 PM.

A private graveside service for Sandra’s family will be held at Houston National Cemetery on Monday, July 29, 2024 where she will join her veteran spouse in burial.