Samuel Herbert Sandy

Samuel Herbert Sandy April 18, 1955 - October 24, 2014 Samuel Herbert Sandy died from cancer at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, October 24, 2014, surrounded by loved ones. “Herb" Sandy was born April 18, 1955, at Methodist Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, to Bernice Avent Sandy and Milton L. Sandy, Sr., joining one brother and two sisters. Growing up in Corinth, Mississippi, Herb attended Cruise St. Elementary School directly across the street from his family home. He graduated from Corinth High School in 1973. Herb loved the outdoors and was active in Scouting earning the rank of Eagle Scout, more merit badges than his older brother, and the God and Country Award. He attended the University of Mississippi, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accountancy. At Ole Miss, he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, the Society for Advancement of Management, participated in intramural sports and became a lifelong Ole Miss Rebel sports enthusiast. After college, Herb was employed as an auditor in public accounting with the “Big 8” international CPA firms Touche Ross & Co. and KPMG Peat Marwick Mitchell in Jackson, Mississippi from 1977 to 1985. He earned his Certified Public Accountant designation in 1979. A true lifetime learner, he earned the Certified Information Systems Auditor designation in 2012. In 1985, Herb moved to Atlanta, Georgia to work with his father and brother in a newly acquired division of Consolidated Paper Company named the CDI Division of M.L.Sandy Lumber Sales Co., Inc., a wholesale building supply venture distributing cabinet supplies. Herb was instrumental in the growth of the company into the 53rd largest privately held firm in the State of Mississippi. CDI grew to become one of the largest companies in its industry in the Southeast United States until it was acquired in 1991 by Meyer International, plc., a publicly-traded UK firm, and subsequently sold to a French firm, Saint-Gobain, a worldwide leader in the manufacture and distribution of building materials with operations in 45 countries. Herb remained actively employed with the firm for approximately 30 years until his death. He served in a variety of positions including Controller, Treasurer, and Director of MIS. Herb had an extraordinary mind and retained an integral knowledge of the entire business as well as an unsurpassed understanding of the information processing systems which tied the company together. Herb enjoyed working with his head and his hands. In his teenage years, Herb restored and worked on what are now considered antique cars. He earned his private pilot’s license and enjoyed flying. With the advent of personal computers, Herb began a hobby of electronics which extended across many dimensions. Computers and telecommunications were specialities which he loved and about which he became a guru to friends, family and business associates. Seldom was a new electronic device available that Herb hadn’t tried. He truly enjoyed his computer geek designation. Herb loved to share his knowledge and skills with others and was universally known for his intelligence, modesty, calm and warm personality. Herb lived his life never seeking the limelight but impacted many lives on a personal basis with acts of kindness and charity. In 2002 Herb renewed his love of bicycling progressing to long distance, organized bicycling. He collected different types of bicycles, many customized that he built himself. Starting in 2004, he began logging his yearly bicycle mileage and at the time of his death had logged a lifetime total of 44,539 miles both in the United States and abroad. These group rides covered the Netherlands, California, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Virginia. Herb was particularly proud of his three rides in RAGBRAI, the oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world, an annual seven-day bicycle ride across the State of Iowa and a source of many delightful stories for his friends and family. Herb's trips involved extensive camping and he achieved a high level of physical fitness while inspiring his close friends to join his passion for the sport. He also developed a large, close network of new cyclist friends from across the nation. His enthusiasm was extreme and many of his Facebook photographs document his travels with accompanying notations of historical events, sights along the way, and simple pleasures which he wanted to share - often with his own humorous tweaks and observations. In 2004 Herb finally met the girl of his dreams, married in 2006, and ended his bachelor days. Herb's family will always appreciate the happiness she brought into his life during the past ten years. Herb had a joy for cooking and shared his talents in the kitchen with his lovely wife often and his family on holidays and special occasions. He loved apples from the North Georgia mountains. A truly rare individual, he loved Georgia fruitcake. He loved the beaches of St. Simons Island and the bicycle paths there. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Isiminger Sandy, his Mother, his brother Milton Larrimore Sandy, Jr., sisters Patricia Marie Sandy Wood (Bob), and Suzanne Avent Sandy, nephews David Milton Sandy, Robert Grant Wood (Kay), niece Sandy Ashburn Wood, grandnieces Anne Marie Pender Wood, Elizabeth Ashburn Wood and Lyda Emerson Wood, and his English Springer Spaniels (rescues) Starsky and Hutch. Herb was preceded in death by his father, M.L. Sandy, Sr., sister-in-law, Stephanie Dawes Sandy and Fred, his very loved first English Springer Spaniel. The memorial and celebration of Herb’s life will be Friday, October 31, at Fillmore Chapel in Corinth, Mississippi. Visitation will be at 1pm with the service at 2pm. Private interment at Henry Cemetery. Arrangements by McPeters Funeral Home, Corinth. Should friends desire, the family would suggest memorial contributions to the Boy Scouts of America, Yocona Area Council, 505 Air Park Road, Tupelo, MS 38801, English Springer Rescue America - www.springerrescue.org, or the American Cancer Society.