Sandy Rivers

1953 - 2025

Sandy Rivers
02/22/1953 - 11/16/2024
Sandy Rivers, "Sexy is having your own. Not depending on others saying, 'I got it!', and picking up the tab. Everything you have you worked for… wanting something… not needing it… playing aggressive… but so shy. Not having time to complain. Paying your bills on time. Saying, 'Thank you!', a smile and a wink to go with it!" Sandy Elizabeth Rivers was always sexy.
Born in Mary's Help Hospital in San Francisco, she shared a maternity ward with her cousin Tim Rivers (Unkie and Auntie Dorthy's son) who was born in the same place and close to the same time. Sandy was a proud 3rd generation San Franciscan whose heart never left her City by the Bay. She attended Visitacion Valley Elementary School (the same school her mother attended), School of the Epiphany, Luther Burbank Middle School, Balboa High School, Mercy High School, College of San Mateo, Ron Bailie School of Broadcasting and John O'Connell School of Broadcast. She earned her First-Class General Radiotelephone Certificate in December 1979 and went on to work for multiple radio stations. Her smile was like the bright warm golden sun shining for you on a cold day.
When she was 12 years old Sandy, and her forever best friend, Laura, sought out medical advice on why Sandy was having trouble climbing stairs. Their comical journey eventually led to the doors of Doctors Richard Schneider and Ed Shev. Sandy was diagnosed as having Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and told, that because of the muscle deterioration that would soon come, her life expectancy was between 16 to 21 years of age. When Sandy's soul left her body, she was 2 months and 6 days short of her 72nd birthday. This was not the first time, nor the last, that life tried to tell her that she was incapable of achieving something that Sandy would eventually conquer.
With a warrior's heart, guided by her core values of independence, integrity and compassion Sandy took on all of life's challenges head on. As a young woman she was a proud member of AFL-CIO Local 648 working as a retail clerk. When her strength weakened to the point she couldn't bag groceries she set out to work in the industry she loved, the queen of her soul, music, by earning her First-Class FCC certificate. When working at a radio station became too dangerous, because falls at work had caused multiple dislocated shoulders, she set out to explore what opportunities the digital age might bring. She learned to design and build websites creating "It's You Time," "Sandy by the Bay," and "Civil Split." Her fascination with law led her to become a Legal Document Assistant and Mediator, with the goal of helping couples to "split civilly," to divorce in a cooperative way that caused the least harm and left them with the most assets. Always grateful to the many people who stepped up to support her in her life, paying it forward was something that Sandy loved.
On Nov. 16, 2024, at home and surrounded by her family, the time came for Sandy to pass on from this life. Today for the first time in 50 years, Life Partners and Soulmates, Sandy Rivers and Marco Gualco will not be able to touch, hold, hug, kiss, share a cup of coffee, a conversation, a meal, a piece of cake on his birthday. She is also survived by their son and nephew, Lonnie Rivers and his partner, Krista Nakamura, her mother, Adel Baron, her brother, Ray Baron and his wife Deborah, her sister, Laurie Smith and her husband Jeff, nieces, Courtney and Ashley, as well as many other nephews and nieces. Sandy is with her dad, Jack Rivers Sr., her younger brother, Jack Jr., her older brother, Steven Joseph, her forever best friend, Laura (Federighi) Hickey, as well as many dearly loved grandmothers, grandfathers, aunties, uncles, cousins, doctors, friends, and Snuppi. Each day that dawns, we are one day closer.