Sandra Jean Haverlock ("Sandy") passed away in the hospital on January 6, 2023 from cancer-related complications.

Sandy was born June 14, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Nicolas and Irene Benedetto. With her older brother Nicholas, she was the youngest of two children. Her father died when she was just two years old, and her mother worked hard to provide her children with a good education and stable home surrounded by family and friends. She graduated from Immaculata High School, attended Northwestern University, and went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in Criminalistics in 1977 from University of Illinois. Subsequently, she worked as a chemist in the research lab at Nalco Chemical Company.

Sandra met her husband Todd while working for Nalco. They married in June 1979 and went on to have three children. With her family she enjoyed traveling, especially to ancient European historical sites, Civil War battle fields, and museums. Her favorite trips were to England and Rome with Todd. Sandy treasured trips to Chicago at the holidays to visit with friends and family. She loved visiting places from her childhood as well as exploring new locations in the city. With her criminalistics background, she found much pleasure in reading true crime and infectious disease books. She also loved collecting rocks and stones. She always had a love of animals, and over the years was a proud "parent" to a menagerie including snakes, geckos, bearded dragons, chameleons, salamanders, rabbits, dogs, cats, and parakeets.

Sandy was a stay-at-home mother while her children were young. She was an active member of her community. She volunteered at her children's classrooms and with the PTA, and later she became a substitute teacher to be more involved in her children's school and academic careers. She supported a variety of charitable organizations focused on animal welfare.

After moving from Texas to California, Sandy obtained her master's degree in teaching from Cal State Fullerton. She went on to become a middle school teacher, working for Capistrano Unified School District for 20 years in special education. She loved her students and was proud to make a difference in their education. Over the course of her teaching career, she taught at Aliso Viejo Middle School and Ladera Ranch Middle School.

Sandy is survived by her husband, Todd Haverlock, her children, Kristin Athans, Lauren Haverlock, and Brendan Haverlock, her son-in-laws, Peter Athans and Reed Kaufman, and her grandchildren Sydney, Grant, Troy, and Emersyn Athans, and Bennett, Max, and Olivia Kaufman.

Services will be held Saturday, January 21, 2023, 12:00 p.m. McCormick and Sons Funeral Home, 25002 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills 92637, followed by the burial and a reception. Sandra will be laid to rest at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange, CA.