Sandra Smith Brubaker, 83

March 11, 1942 - December 12, 2025

Sandra Smith Brubaker entered her Heavenly Home to meet her Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, December 12, 2025. After a decade of primarily dementia-related decline, her final days were swift and serene.

Born March 11, 1942, Sandy was the daughter of the late Walter A. Smith and Ruth (Hambleton) Smith. She was the devoted wife of the late Dwight Harry Brubaker, who lovingly served as her primary caretaker until he settled her into Willow Valley memory care this past April. Days later, Dwight suffered the stroke that took him home. Once Sandy’s childhood crush he became her high school sweetheart and cherished husband of 63 years.

A lifelong resident of Lancaster, Sandy spent all 83 years in the hometown she dearly loved. She and Dwight raised their daughters as the fifth generation at “The Old Homestead”, Dwight’s childhood home. They lived there for 45 years before moving to the Mill Creek neighborhood. With a keen eye for beauty, Sandy adorned her home for every season—especially at Christmas. Today, her daughters and grandchildren decorate their own homes with cherished heirlooms from Sandy’s storehouse of treasures.

A proud member of Conestoga Valley High School’s Class of 1960—the second class to graduate from the “new school”—Sandy was a loyal Buckskin. She fondly reminisced about singing with the jazz band, marching in parades as a majorette, and cheerleading for her favorite player, Dwight. Together, this beloved class couple prioritized keeping classmates connected by planning regular reunions and a quarterly CV Lunch Bunch.

Sandy studied for one semester at West Chester College before becoming a secretary at Educators Life Insurance. From that season remains a collection of love letters revealing her and Dwight’s shared hopes and plans to marry as soon as possible. Married on March 31, 1962, at just 19 and 20 years old, they began fulfilling their dream – building a home and family grounded in godly values.

For 24 years, Sandy volunteered with the American Red Cross at Lancaster General Hospital, especially delighting in delivering cards and flowers on the maternity floor. A faithful member of Calvary Church since 1961, she served as an original member of the Welcome Center and for many years hosted a weekly after-school Good News Club in the basement of “The Old Homestead”.

An exceptionally loyal friend, Sandy nurtured lifelong relationships. She enjoyed celebrating others through “Sandy Parties,” the 3-11 Birthday Club, the Super Bowl Gang, Red Hatters and Hen Parties—finding creative ways to bring people together so they would feel cared for and included. Writing was her favored form of expression: informal stories for her grandchildren, annual Christmas ABCs for her family, and countless cards and love letters to her husband. In her later years, her family was especially blessed by more verbal and physical forms of affection and gratitude from Sandy’s increasingly expressive heart.

Before dementia settled in, Sandy was meticulous with bookkeeping, read the entire newspaper daily, mailed clippings to family and friends across the country, remembered every birthday, and sent greeting cards for all occasions to hundreds of recipients annually—hoping others would feel the same joy she did upon receiving them.

Sandy’s wardrobe was notably fashionable with a touch of glam. Though her attention to style faded with time, her beauty endured – gleaming through her bright eyes and sparkling smile through which she could still whistle a merry tune. Her radiant, clapping, childlike joy shined most clearly in the presence of her great-grandchildren, who lovingly called her “GG.”

Sandy was Dwight’s biggest cheerleader and joyfully embraced the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom. She devoted herself to providing opportunities for her daughters to flourish, establishing traditions, planning family gatherings, and celebrating milestones—most memorably, the extravaganza honoring her and Dwight’s 50th wedding anniversary. Having grown up an only child in a single-parent household, Sandy’s dedication to her husband and daughters launched a praiseworthy legacy of faith and family that continues by God’s grace through generations.

Now truly Home for Christmas, Sandy—an only child who became matriarch to 46—is survived by her daughters: Kim Scott (Tim) of Leola, PA; Kelly Michalski (Morris) of Xenia, OH; and Krista Keiser (Andrew) of Avon, CO; her step-sister, Veda Kay Black (John) of State College, PA; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.

[Jesus said,] “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” —John 5:24

A Joy-filled Celebration of Life in memory of Sandy will be held at 11 AM on Friday, December 19, 2025 at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster, PA 17601. A greeting will be held at the church beginning at 10 AM. The service will be live streamed and uploaded to: https://www.calvarychurch.org/memorial-service/.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sandy’s memory may be made to:
https://www.hospiceandcommunitycare.org/in-honor-in-memory-gifts/