ST. PETERSBURG — Sandra Sims Moody of St. Petersburg passed away Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, Nov. 22 at noon at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 509 E. Twiggs St., Tampa. Father Crawford will officiate the service (mask recommended).
On Jan. 15, 1946, an unforgettable spirit was gifted to the McCall Family. Edward and Lillie McCall welcomed their third daughter, Sandra Louise McCall, to the fold. She was educated in the Hillsborough County Public School System, graduating from Blake High School in 1964.
During her tenure at Blake, the fashionable, fierce, and fly teenager broke the color barrier while participating as a Yellow Jacket Tennis Team member. Other extra-curricular activities included the basketball and drill teams, respectively.
Mrs. Moody continued her education by attending Gibbs Junior College and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University on the highest of seven hills, majoring in social work and education. Red and Lillie’s daughter taught at Rickards High, Leonard Wesson Elementary, and Bethel Christian School in Tallahassee as an educator par excellence.
Upon returning to the Tampa Bay area, the distinguished educator finished her career at Madeira Beach Middle and 16th Street Middle School. The afro-centric educator received the Teacher of the Year award and was recognized for her ability to prepare inner-city students to achieve high standardized test scores during her career.
As a second career, the kindhearted queen finished her professional career as a caregiver to the developmentally disabled, veteran, and HIV/AIDS communities.
The social butterfly was a proud member of the Blake Alumni Organization. As a lifelong servant of the people, she was an active member of several churches in the Tampa Bay area, spending most of her time, talents, and treasures at St. James and St. Augustine Episcopal Churches, where she was elected as the senior warden.
Mrs. Moody was a devoted mother who loved her family, friends and fashion.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Lillie McCall; sister, Eddie Mae Ford (Wimp); ex-husband, Steven Moody; grandparents, John and Eliza McCall, and Reginal and Josephine Pottinger; aunts and uncles, Morris and Marie Parham, Frank Waiters, James Thomas, Albert and Rachel Thomas, Victor Thomas, Eugene and Zanie Lou Thomas, Timothy Thomas Sr., Virginia Gainer, Richard McCall and Eliza McKnight and host of other relatives.
She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Korey Sims (Erronetta) and Kelly Sims (Kahlya); ex-husband, Zeke Sims Jr.; grandchildren, Tylor Sims, Sheria Moore, Korey-Yonna Sims, LaQuashia Sims, Ciarra Williams, Kelis Sims, and Kloe Sims; great-grandchildren, Tylor Sims Jr., and Celina Hawkins; brothers, Edward McCall Jr. (Zella), and Ronald McCall; sisters, Norma Reese (Ernest), Stephanie Davis and Donna Powell (Amahl); aunts, Louise Waiters and Dorothy Thomas; and a host of other relatives to include nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and the Blake High Class of 1964.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, Nov. 21, from 3-6 p.m. at Ray Williams Memorial Chapel, 301 N. Howard Ave., Tampa. Interment will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Ray Williams Funeral Home, Rhodes and Northern, owners.