Sandra Roebuck

Sandra Roebuck was born on June 2,1952, in Akron, Ohio. Contrary to popular belief, she was the second, not the first of four children born to Ralph N. Roebuck and Elinor Mack Roebuck (Barnes). She transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at Falls Village Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, surrounded by family and church family.

Sandra grew up in East Akron and attended Akron Public Schools, more specifically Robinson Elementary School, where she eventually taught along side one of her own teachers from her elementary years, Mr. Paul Baird, Goodyear Junior High, and East High School. From an early age Sandra displayed a compassion for helping others and a love for teaching. Her preschool teacher even told Sandra's parents that she was going to be a teacher. Sandra was a graduate of East High School, Class of 1970, and was the recipient of the Womanhood Award. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council (Chaplin), Drama Club, French Club, Spanish Club, Spirit Committee and assisted in the school office and library. She attended the University of Akron where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, her Master of Education equivalency, and her Juris Doctorate.

Sandra was a teacher for Akron Public Schools for 29 years. During that time she worked with both students and parents, creating parent involvement programs to assist parents in helping their children. Sandra was a strong believer in not only increasing a student's IQ, intelligence quotient, but in increasing a student's EQ, exposure quotient. In her efforts to do that, she would invite people to come to her classroom and share about their careers. That included having her father, who owned a small neighborhood grocery store, to share from his experience as an entrepreneur. He told the students some things about owning a business, gave a short math lesson on counting money, and gave them all a silver dollar at the end of his presentation. Other presenters included Officer Michael Gould and Deputy Mayor Dorothy Jackson, and others. Sandra also wanted to take her students on a field trip to see a play, but when she went to the administration they said, we can't. Sandra said, okay, I can. She then went to her church, local businesses, her friends, and anyone she could think of for help, and it came to fruition. Sandra also instituted the "Wall Project" at Robinson School. People were invited to buy a brick, and their names were engraved on one of the bricks used to replace a crumbling wall on the Fifth Avenue side of Robinson School. Her name, and many others, are still there.

Sandra also taught in STEP, the Strive Toward Excellence Program, an endowed college preparatory program for 7th-8th grade students from the Akron area, for more than 30 years. She also taught in the GED program, helping adults earn their high school equivalency credentials. Sandra taught Sunday School and taught sign language classes at church. Sandra also taught sign language in YEPAW, the Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop, for 29 years, where she was afforded the opportunity to also teach sign language to YEPAW participants in South Africa.

Sandra's compassion just seemed natural, having been born into a close-knit family and growing up in a loving church, the Arlington Church of God, formerly the Robert Street Church of God, as it was known when she gave her heart to the Lord at 11 years old. Sandra served there faithfully as a youth choir member, a Sunday School teacher, a Wedding Coordinator, an Anniversary Committee member, and whatever else she was asked to do. Sandra served on missions trips to South Africa and Haiti, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. Her love for God was evident in all she did.

Sandra loved to travel. In her travels she has visited England, Australia, South Africa, China, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and many other places in the United States. She also loved plays. She has seen Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wiz, Man of LaMancha and other plays on Broadway. She also enjoyed traveling to Philadelphia to see productions by the Philadelphia High School for Performing Arts, Philadelphia CAPA,where her friend, Elsa Johnson Bass, was Musical Theater Director.

Sandra loved playing games, board games, word games, and charades. She was highly competitive and even made the children earn their wins. If you were not a serious charades player, you did not want to be on her team.

Sandra's impact cannot be measured in titles or awards, but in the lives she touched and uplifted. She was celebrated by students, colleagues, church members, neighbors, family and friends.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph N. Roebuck and Elinor Roebuck Barnes, brother, Ralph Roebuck, Jr., and brother-in-law, Dennis C. Franklin.

She will be dearly missed by her sisters, Sheila (Dennis – deceased) Franklin, Patricia/Dolly (Eric)Brown, Goddaughter, Shannon N. Bryant, special cousins, Lynda Johnson and Diane Roebuck, nieces, nephews, church family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Sommerville Funeral Services, 1695 Diagonal Rd. Akron, Oh 44320. Visitation will also be held on Monday, December 15, 2025, from 11:00 am until 12:00 noon at Arlington Church of God, 539 S. Arlington St. Akron, OH 44306. Funeral service will immediately follow and will be live streamed at Arlington Church of God https://www.youtube.com/c/ArlingtonChurchofGod Internment Mount Peace Cemetery.

Visitation Location:
4pm-6pm Sunday, December 14, 2025, Sommerville Funeral Services

Funeral Location
Arlington Church of God 539 S. Arlington St. Akron, OH 44306

Funeral Date
December 15, 2025

Visitation Time
11:00 am

Service Time
12:00 pm