Lillian Ethel “Sandi” Wojcik was one of three children born to Coast Guard Officer Sydney Walke and his wife Anne on November 19th, 1929 in Alameda, CA. Along with her brothers Bob and Rick, she grew up in St. Petersburg and San Diego, California. Sandi attended Southside Junior High School here in St Petersburg and graduated from Stephen W. Kearney High School in San Diego in 1948.
Our mom’s next adventure was to join the United States Air Force in the thick of the Cold War at the age of twenty! The Soviets detonated their first atomic bomb on August 29th, 1949 which shook the nation because this was their way of advertising the power they had. The Cold War took a strong turn after this because the US felt a lot of pressure to accelerate the development of our first hydrogen bomb. Mom enlisted in the Air force as a single woman LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER! Incredible..!
Sandi attended basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. Among her duty stations was as a recruiter in Chico, CA where she spoke woman to woman to those interested in enlisting in the Women’s Army Corps and the Women’s Air Force. Her appointment was one of the first of its kind! Later duty stations included the Pentagon in Washington DC where she met her future husband Air Force Sargent Charles “Chuck” Wojcik.
Upon leaving the Air force, Sandi and Chuck started a family and had 5 children, Charles II, Marc, Steve, Scott and Kate. Chuck’s last duty station was MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL and the family settled on Coquina Key in South St Petersburg.
Not content with just raising 5 children, Sandi enrolled and graduated from St Petersburg Junior College in 1970 with a degree in nursing and began a career as a Registered Nurse (RN) as well as a full-time mom.
Mom was a fantastic cook like her mother Anne (just my humble opinion…) especially baking. I can still taste her lemon and coconut cakes! She also was a skilled tailor and could make clothing for us kids much to our chagrin… She actually made complete leisure suits for all four boys complete with matching shirts! Oy..!
Sandi was an active member of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church in St Petersburg and was a former Deacon. She had many friends there and will be sorely missed.
Sandi leaves behind her daughter Kate and 3 sons, Marc, Steve and Scott, two daughters-in-law, Patty (Marc) and Jennie (Scott), 5 grandchildren, Rachel Rosado, Erika Helrigle, Scott Wojcik Jr., Stephen Wojcik, Jr. and Zachary Wojcik as well as 2 Great-Grandchildren, Connor and Ethan Helrigle.
Sandi was predeceased by her mother Anne, her father Sydney, her brothers Bob and Rick and her first-born son Charles “Charlie”.
Sandi was a very colorful person with many friends. She was always reaching out to include a wide variety of people into her circle of friends and very often we had new guests for holiday dinners. Mom, we love you and miss you very much…
A graveside service will be held in Sandi’s honor at Bay Pines National Cemetery on March 12th at 1:30 PM with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, please donate in her honor to the Pinellas County Humane Society at 3040 FL-590, Clearwater, FL 33759 or by calling (727) 797-7722. You can also donate online at www.HumaneSocietyofPinellas.com
A beautiful and amazing woman. Glad she is an Angel now in heaven with the rest of her family. 🙏♥️
RIP Sandy, you raised one terrific family. I have known the Wojcik family for 60 years, my condolences to all of you. I miss Charlie every day.
He will be so glad you are joining him in eternity. So sorry for your loss. She will certainly be missed
I was in Sandi’s Nursing Class of 1970 from SPJC. I was only 17 when I started and many of my classmates were young as well. Sandi was on the mature ones in our class that we all looked up to. So very sorry to hear of her passing. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.