Mary Joy Carty Sanidas, 77, of Gale Drive, went to be with her Savior Jesus Christ, peacefully in her home on January 3, 2012. She was constantly surrounded by loving family and friends for many months preceding her passing. She was a Norfolk native born on July 5th, 1934 to the late George B. Carty and Elizabeth Hankins Carty. Besides her parents she was also preceded in death by her sister Barbara Carty Hare. She was a member of the Thalia Lynn Baptist Church and was the perfect example of a “PROVERBS 31 WIFE”, a very “LOVING, GODLY MOTHER and NANNY “to her grandchildren; and also a member of the Red Hat Society, “Victorian Angels”.
She was a very patient, kind and quiet woman who loved her family and the LORD. She was easy to get along with and would do anything for anyone. She was the sweetest person in the world. She loved to be ready for her husband when he came home from work with a nice dinner, clean home and a beautiful smile. She missed him when he wasn’t home and would go anywhere or do anything just to be close to him. In her last days her baby blue eyes would follow him when he entered her room. She spent her life making others smile without any reserve. Her smile and joyful spirit was contagious. She had a heart of gold and was precious to all who ever knew her. To know Mary was to love her. She will be greatly missed.
Those left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 59 years, Chris Benjamin Sanidas; her daughter, Cindy Joy Sanidas Sturtridge and her husband, Trip. She is also survived by her brother, George B. Carty, and his wife Theresa; sister, Betty Peele and four awesome grandchildren, Mary-Elizabeth Sturtridge, Dewey C. Sturtridge IV, Daniel “Alex” Sturtridge, and Johnny Sturtridge; as well many nieces, nephews and special friends that call her “Nanny”. She loved all her Premier Designs Jewelry ladies very much! She was cared for by a great team of friends from Heartland Hospice who enriched our lives beyond words.
A service to celebrate her life will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 11am at Thalia Lynn Baptist Church, 4392 Virginia Beach Blvd with Doctor Prentice McGoldrick officiating. A reception will immediately follow at the church. Burial will be private following the reception. The family will receive friends on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 7 to 8:30 pm at Graham Funeral home, 1112 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake.
At the request of the family memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Horner-Premier Foundation, 1551 Corporate Drive, Irving, Texas, 75038. This foundation supports Christian Evangelical Missions around the world to share the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ. Please visit Mary’s “Book of Memories” at www.grahamfuneralhome.com to leave a note to the family.