Sandra Lea Mugartegui: 1956-2021

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Our beloved Sandra Lea Mugartegui (Born Sandra Lea Salmon August 6, 1956) was carried into the glory of heaven peacefully on May 31, 2021. Condensing a life into a short series of factual paragraphs feels pretty stale in contrast to the vibrancy of anyone’s life, but especially Sandy’s. 
Sandy was born in the Great Lakes Ill. and began her journey of life as a Navy brat who traveled the country with her family. Residing in The Dalles, Ore., Concord, Calif., and San Diego, Calif. during her childhood, she graduated high school in Napavine, Wash. before settling down in Olympia, Wash. for her adult years. 
If you knew Sandy in any capacity, you knew her to be a spirited force of life and love. She was her friends’ and family’s biggest fan; always cheering on the ones she loved. Her belief in the potential of others often superseded their own belief in themselves. She was a justice-minded advocate for anyone who needed it and was never afraid to speak up for what was right in the workplace or anywhere, for that matter. 
Though Sandy worked hard as an esteemed professional, her playful, joyful side was demonstrated with her love for all things Disney (Disneyland and Disney’s Aulani Hotel in Hawaii were favorite vacation spots). Her whimsical, goofy side was a favorite characteristic of those of us who loved her most. 
Sandy left many of us with tears of laughter. She was a captivating story-teller and her words poured into beautifully written creative-writing pieces and even a few books. She was a lifelong learner and always sought out ways to continue growing and educating herself well into adulthood, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Evergreen College in June 2019. 
Her soul came alive when she found herself in a sunny, beachy place, like San Diego, Hawaii, Cannon Beach, Ore. or Seabrook, Wash. She could often be found grooving to The Beatles or Paul McCartney, and was never without the willingness to dance on the fly at a family gathering. 
She was a juxtaposition of elegance and zest, eloquence and spontaneity, logic and wit; a truly original woman with physical beauty, a brilliant smile and an inner warmth that radiated out of her naturally in magnetic ways. 
She is survived by her brother, Phillip Salmon; her sister Janet Andersen (Jeff); her daughter, Christine Wyrick (Kacey); her two sons Scott McGeary and Ryan McGeary (Janel); and her two grandsons, Christopher and Graham McGeary. 
Her body has been laid to rest, but her spirit soars above and beyond. The ones who loved her most will carry her legacy into the coming years and generations to come with gratitude, hopeful optimism, a touch of Disney magic, and the memories of Sandy’s trademark wink and smile combo to get us through. Her robust, contagious laughter will echo in our hearts and reverberate in the rooms we fill. Thank you for everything you taught us and the love you showed us, Sandy. We will see you again. 
For all who knew her, please join us in remembering Sandy for a celebration of life open house to be held at 281 Pleasant Hill Rd., Chehalis, WA, on Saturday, June 19th from 12 pm-4pm. 
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