Sandra Gieske Larriva
Sandi graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and a minor in police science. She received a Foundations of Banking Diploma from the American Bankers Associate. She acted as a master trainer with the Sahuaro Girl Scout Council. She received a Copper Letter from the City of Tucson for her work as a member and chair of the Tucson Women's Commission. Sandi has always been the thoughtful considerate caring woman any mother would wish for. She constantly provides a nourishing loving atmosphere that allows people to be themselves while knowing there is encouragement available when needed. Sandi's involvement and support in the lives of her daughters has produced three strong lovely young women with excellent academic records. She has provided constant inspiration attending every school program and as all three have been interested in athletics all of their games whether softball basketball soccer or volleyball. She has driven and flown thousands of miles to Sierra Vista to Phoenix to San Diego to Las Vegas to wherever the teams were playing constantly boosting supporting and nurturing the girls. This encouragement also included all members of the girls' teams. She almost single-handedly conceived and drove the construction of a much-needed softball field at Amphitheatre High School working against many odds including those who believed a softball field was unnecessary. She continued this work to its completion even after her daughters were no longer at Amphi. Through all of her involvement with her daughters she has been constantly employed working in the juvenile justice system at a local bank and for the past 15 years as office manager of her husband's law firm. Her mother-in-law may have made the most telling statement when she said Sandi is the best thing that ever happened to my son. -- Peggy Hamilton Lockard