Sandra Bolick Moura

Sandra Bolick Moura was cherished by all who knew her.

Beloved wife of Bob, adored mother of Ashley, Andrea and Alex. Devoted mother-in-law to Barry, Matt and Katherine. Loving grandmother of Bear, Alexandra, Wells, Henry, Turner and River.

Sandi died peacefully in her husband’s arms at home following a courageous battle with melanoma. She was a beautiful person with a heart of gold, who will be sadly missed by those lucky to have known her.

The youngest daughter of Claude and Edith Bolick and little sister to Judy, Gail, Wayne, and Nadine. She attended St. Stephens High School in Hickory and lived her adult life in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sandi loved her family and always put their needs and wishes ahead of her own.

Sandi attended both Newman Catholic Student Center and St. Thomas More. She also worshiped at the altar of NPR’s All Things Considered and could talk for hours about Masterpiece Classic episodes or what she learned watching the Sunday Morning Show. She loved to learn about whatever fascinated her, like decoding the microbiome.

In 1971, she arrived on campus at UNC Charlotte. In an elevator, she met the love of her life and future husband, Bob. He was a Brazilian-born soccer player. She was a Southern beauty studying psychology. Together, they were the perfect fit in every way, and a wonderful, loving couple.

After getting married, they spent 4 years living in Rio de Janeiro, where Sandi worked as an educator, became fluent in Portuguese and learned the art of entertaining. She loved each and every student as they came into her life.

In 1978, Bob and Sandi returned to North Carolina and owned The Looking Glass Cafe, a gourmet sandwich shop that once fed customers at the crossroads of Granville Towers, University Square, and Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

A year later, they took ownership of Universal Printing at Cameron Village in Raleigh. She helped oversee everything from its RTP expansion to bookkeeping and business development. Sandi warmly embraced her coworkers, sought out their special talents and treated them like family.

Her ability to empathize and bond with people was seen from the boardroom to the warehouse floor. Always willing to listen and offer advice, she connected with many people from all walks of life. Sandi could talk to anyone.

Bob and Sandi were blissfully happy gardening, working on home projects in Wilmington and Oak Island, furniture hunting, and seeing much of the world together. Rarely would you see them apart. Their unbreakable bond was an inspiration, and their love, marriage, and parenting were an example to us all. They were married for 46 years.

Above all things, Sandi will be remembered as a sparkling light who inspired her family to lead lives as joy-filled as hers. Her infectious enthusiasm, curiosity, and love nourished us all. She showed us what we could be, how we could give, and what a well-lived life looked like.

Sandi’s proudest achievement was her role as a mother to three grateful children, and as “Mom-Mom” to their spouses and her six beautiful grandchildren. By believing in us, she cultivated the belief within us that we could do anything. We were the light of her life, and she let us know it until the end.

When it came to companionship, Sandi considered herself lucky to have so many lifelong friends. They would trade selfless acts of kindness and marvel over artwork, travel, small bites and sparkling wine. Sandi’s friends were better for knowing each other. She would never use these words, but the way she saw the best in them helped make them who they are.

Food was Sandi’s love language. Eat, she’d tell family and friends, serving up homemade Brazilian black beans and rice with the perfect salad, apple crisp and a beautiful table setting. Sandi made international dishes with a southern twist. She cooked by feel, and had a home remedy for everything.

God gave her the gift of being a caregiver—whether it was caring for her grands, friends, cousins, nieces, nephews or anyone in need. Sandi cared for people without judgement, with love and grace.

She was also an amazing mother-in-law and generous friend to her extended family. She went on road trips, threw legendary beach parties, did art projects, covered furniture, saw her family marry, have babies, leave and come back. Beyond the calls, visits, gifts and encouragement, she loved with her whole heart.

She was proud of us, and we were proud of her. Sandi lived a big, abundant, joyful life of love and service. She gave her life to others and to God, and God blessed it—over and over and over again.

Sandi’s family and friends are warmly invited to attend her Memorial Mass at 2:30pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to UNC Newman Catholic Community (www.uncnewman.org/give) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org).

Our deepest gratitude goes out to the Moura and Bolick families, and to Sandi’s dearest friends who loved and supported her family in their greatest time of need.