Sandra was born October 5, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the sixth of 16 children born to Elline and Burks Holland, Sr. Sandra graduated from Oakwood College (University) in 1967, where she met Walter L. Pearson. After a fairy-tale courtship, Sandra and Walter were wed on November 26, 1967. Their 42-year union produced two children. Sandra was a loving wife, devoted mother, and beloved grandmother. Her family was always her first concern. She doted on them, but she also belonged to the world of church ministry. She worked and traveled tirelessly around the world, by the side of her celebrated husband, leading many souls to Christ. Always smiling, she never complained or murmured.
REMEMBERING SANDRA’S LOVE
God must have known there would be times we’d need a gentle touch and a tender understanding heart to love us. He must have known we’d need someone to listen to our cares, to comfort us, and remember us in loving thoughts and prayers. So in His boundless wisdom, He sent us the dearest blessing in the world, our precious Sandra’s love.
SANDRA, THE LOVING WIFE
Who can find a wife of noble character? She is worth more than the costliest jewels. Her husband has confidence in her abilities. He will never be poor. All her life she will do him good and will never do anything to harm him. She works with energy and puts all her strength into her tasks. Her husband is respected with her support and is chosen to sit with the city officials. She’s respected in her own right and is not afraid of the future. She speaks words of gentle wisdom and teaches kindness to others. She is never lazy and watches over the affairs of her family. Her children respect her and say so, and her husband praises her, saying, “Many women do wonderful things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord will be praised. Reward her for what she has done. Let her works be praised by everyone in the city (paraphrased from Proverbs 31).
Sandra and Walter were soul-mates. They were a team. As anyone who knew them can attest, they were inseparable. Their solid bond was strengthened during her illness. Walter never left her side. Whenever you walked into the hospital room, he was there—morning, noon, or night. She took her last breath in his loving arms.
SANDRA, A GODLY PARENT AND GRANDPARENT
It is amazing how Mom always knew what to do and say. She was always filled with so much love and tenderness and wisdom. With just a word or smile or look, she made our hearts lighter. She always had high expectations for us and accepted nothing less than our very best.
SANDRA, OUR SISTER
Family ties are precious bonds that seem to grow stronger and deeper through the years. They keep us close together no matter where we are. Sandra was a strong link in our chain of family ties. Sandra represented different things to different people. She was an unusual counselor. Her easy style and warmth made it natural for others to hear her words of wisdom. She had a special gift of using one-liners to get and keep the listener’s attention. The words were brief yet potent. Sandra had the ability to go straight to the core of the problem or concern, and she would delicately yet meticulously cut to the chase. Her words were always laced with praise to God, admonishing one to depend on Him for a solution.
SANDRA’S EARLY MINISTRY
Sandra and her two sisters, Sharon and Jacqui, were close in age and even closer in sharing in each other’s daily experiences. The family almost considered the threesome as one. This was obvious in the way they would call them in an almost-hyphenated, single name: “Sandra-Sharon-and-Jacqui.” The three formed a singing trio. Most Friday nights were spent sitting around the record player matching word-for-word, note-for-note to replicate the sound. Later they learned to create their own sound. This prepared them to form “The Hollandaires,” a name given to them by their brother-in-law, Charles Joseph, when they sang for his Bible tent meetings. Sandra’s voice was beautiful. It was a perfect blend of opposite textures, rough with a velvet-like smoothness. What a voice!
SANDRA, OUR AUNT
Her love made such a difference in our lives. Her life exemplified many virtues: love, humility, faith, patience, forgiveness, service, wisdom, and joy. The world was a gentler place because of the joy and comfort in the smiles that lit her face. We will remember heart-to-heart talks and happy times. Reunions will always be extra special because they meant so much to her.
SANDRA’S LAST GOOD-BYE
Even as she walked through the valley of the shadow of death, she was fearless. She walked with God and called out to Jesus, her personal Savior. On the morning of July 29, 2009, Sandra fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. Her life was a ministry. She left her family a legacy of hope, love, and service. Her legacy will be continued by the following family members: her husband, Walter L. Pearson, Jr.; her daughter, Ericca L. Pearson-Paige; her son, Walter L. Pearson III.; her son-in-law, Devroux Paige; her daughter-in-law, Summer Scott-Pearson; three grandsons, Walter Leonard IV, Gabriel Alexander, and Pearson Gault Paige. She was also loved by seven sisters: Elnora Browne, Vivian Joseph (Charles), Barbra Russell (Charles), Sharon Turner (Samuel), Jacqulyn Williams (Samuel), Debra Aduba (Henry), Angela Sylvester (Stephen); and eight brothers: Burks Holland, Jr. (Sandra), Harvey Holland (Patricia), Larry Holland (Gloria), Keith Holland, Jarman Holland (Barbara), Dwayne Holland (Bette), Nathaniel Holland (Tanya), Ronald Holland (Dawn), and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and several cousins.