Sandra Marie (Saunders) Konczak

Dr. Sandra Marie Saunders Konczak passed from this life and moved on to the next great adventure on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

Sandra was born in Baird, Texas at the Callahan County Hospital on August 29, 1950 to Uthell and Lucille Saunders.  She attended the Baird schools and graduated in 1968.  On September 20, 1968, she married her high school sweetheart, Mike Konczak.

Sandra attended Texas A&M University in God’s Country where she earned a double major in Math and Science and a teaching certification.  Other universities she attended and degrees earned are Stephen F. Austin University, Masters of Education and K-12 Principal Certification; University of New Hampshire, Doctorate of Environmental Science. She also attended the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico where she fulfilled her foreign language requirements for her PhD.

While teaching in several school districts: Grapeland, Mexia, and Abilene, she served on numerous state committees including the State Textbook Committee. She taught two summers in Poland at the English camps in Torun and Kalisz.

She loved her family, friends and traveling.  Sandra enjoyed canoeing with friends.  She earned her Canoeing Instructors Certificate on the White River in Arkansas.  She was an accomplished white water paddler and traveled to wherever the water was the biggest.  Her hobbies included sewing, reading and being with grandchildren.

Sandra was a member of the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) where she served in all capacities as an officer at the Regional and Local levels; Also, she was a member of the Texas Outdoor Education Association (TOEA) and Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA).  She developed classes for Region XIV ESC and facilitated them. Sandra was a member of the Abilene Quilters Guild and Alton’s Charm Pack.

Sandra was a retired reserve police officer for Limestone County, Texas and The City of Baird.  Her most exciting case was likely the felony arrest of an individual on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list.  In plain clothes, she made the initial approach in a crowded public park, and brought the arrest to a successful conclusion.

She is survived by her husband, Mike; daughter, Tamatha Konczak Dayberry and husband, Ken; son, Michael Konczak and wife, Amy; sister, Sheila Robertson and husband Gene; brother, Jimmy Saunders and partner, Lisa; adopted son Michael O’Leary and wify, My; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

There will be a private family celebration of life at a later date.

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