Sandra Elizabeth Luke Stephenson

Sandra Elizabeth Luke Stephenson, 83, passed away peacefully on June 11, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona with her family at her side. She was born October 31, 1940 in Rochester, New York, to William Guthrie Luke, Jr. and Margaret Elizabeth Harris. Sandra was a graduate of The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, NY and attended Mount Vernon College in Washington, DC.  At age 19, she married Erik Rosengren and had four children together. As a child, Sandra adored spending summers at her aunt’s ranch near Winkelman, Arizona, so in 1976, she moved to Tucson following her lifelong dream to live under the desert sun. With her two youngest children, she built a small ranch where she raised a menagerie of animals including goats, sheep, chickens, peacocks, a pig, cats, and of course, dogs. In 1991, she married the love of her life, Edwin Stephenson with whom she shared nearly 20 beautiful years together. Sandra was outgoing, friendly and enjoyed taking her service dog to church, yoga, Agua Caliente Park, Botanical Gardens, and out with friends and family. She loved to engage with the world around her; she was curious, open-minded and enjoyed reading, creative writing, nature photography, gardening, landscaping, interior design, sewing and crocheting. Sandra genuinely loved life, her family and friends, and her dogs, miraculously finding the strength and inspiration to survive cancer five times.  

Sandra is survived by her sister, Barbara “Bobbie” Luke Bareham (Harry); sister-in-law, Barbara Luke; children, Erik “Luz” Rosengren (Pierpaolo), Stephanie Rosengren McAndrews (Peter), and Randall Straaton; her grandchildren Katherine McAndrews Wilkerson (Brett) and Laura McAndrews Lopez (Matthew), as well as great-grandchildren John Julian, Maya, and Rio. She is preceded in death by her husband, Edwin Stephenson; brother, William Luke, III; and son, Lawrence Straaton. 

Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Sandra’s life at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church, 4625 E River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718 at 2pm on June 19, 2024. Dress festively!  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating towards a memorial bench at St. Francis in the Foothills UMC, or to the Hope Animal Shelter & Sanctuary in Tucson. Contact Stephanie at [email protected].