Sandra Elaine Windsor Mathiesen

Born August 29, 1950 in Norfolk, Virginia to parents John R. Windsor and Emily Murray Windsor. She passed peacefully, at home, with her husband and daughter by her side, on August 10, 2024.

Best friend, wife, and partner of Mark John Mathiesen for over 55 loving and fun-filled years. They met on the first day of college (but he had to work for her hand) and married three weeks after graduation on June 17, 1972.

In 1992, she became a loving mother to Sarah Elaine Mathiesen – guiding her through her life and supporting and celebrating her many academic, athletic, and professional achievements.

Sandy graduated from Fort Hunt High School, Alexandria, Virginia (1968); the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in English (1972); and Peabody College at Vanderbilt University with an M.S. in Library Science (1975). She was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority chapter at William and Mary.

Sandy began her career teaching high school math in Robertson County, Tennessee. She found her greatest joy and success as an elementary school teacher, first as a student teacher while in college in Virginia, then in Tennessee, as a teacher and librarian at Harpeth Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, and finally, briefly, as a teacher in the Washington DC public schools.

After moving to Washington, DC in 1982, she shifted from teaching into a career in government. She became a trusted aide to Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, working on constituent services and legislation involving natural resources, environmental issues, Native American issues, the space program, and the Federal budget, including assisting in the 1990 White House/Congressional Budget Summit at Andrews Air Force Base and the establishment of the Spokane River Centennial Trail.

After the birth of her daughter, she transitioned into a lobbying and counseling career as a vice president in the Denny Miller Associates firm, and later, senior counsel in Capitol Strategies. During this part of her career, she worked in many of the same areas of expertise, including assisting in the placement of the NASA full fuselage space shuttle trainer at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

Sandy was a gifted tap dancer, participating in many shows at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop and Taps & Company; a strong and skillful swimmer who participated on swim teams as a child, became a life guard, and taught her daughter how to swim (less successfully so with her husband); and an accomplished pianist, both as a soloist and accompanist and especially enjoyed playing for church services and Sunday school.

Sandy has been a longtime member of churches of Christ, Scientist in Mount Vernon and Williamsburg, Virginia, Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, DC, providing valuable leadership and support as a lay reader, board member and chairperson, Sunday school teacher, and music and lecture committee chair.

She enjoyed horseback riding, writing poetry, traveling around the world with family (especially visiting Greece numerous times), caring for pets, and spending time at the beach.

She loved being a daughter-in-law to Richard and Lillian Mathiesen; a sister-in-law to Eileen; aunt to Jennifer and Christopher (Laura), great aunt to Noah and Caleb; godmother to Laura and Susie Scott; and a niece and cousin in the sprawling Murray and Windsor families from the Eastern Shore, tidewater Virginia, and Baltimore, MD.

"… When Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God." Luke 13:12-13

Sandy requested there be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the charity of your choice.