Sandra Lee McClurg

Sandra (Sandy) Lee McClurg, 82, of Chapel Hill, passed away on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at Croasdaile Village in Durham.

Sandy was born on January 21, 1942, in Gastonia, North Carolina. She grew up in North Carolina and Michigan with her parents, George and Dorothy Shannon, and three siblings. She graduated from Wayland High School in Wayland, Michigan.

Sandy attended Western Michigan University and graduated in 1964 with dual degrees in elementary and special education. Following graduation, she taught for four years at the Perry School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, working with school age children with special needs. Later, as the director of Project Early at Oakland University, she trained elementary school teachers in special education and early childhood education. She had an incredible gift with young children and received a master’s degree in early childhood education from Oakland University in 1978. Sandy founded three pioneering preschools during her career, through which she enriched the lives of thousands of children. In 2003 Sandy was invited, as one of 38 early childhood educators from the United States, to attend the first Early Childhood Education Roundtable at Oxford University in England. 

Sandy was also a human resource professional for more than 25 years. She worked as a HR development consultant for two national career development firms and served as a tenured professor in the Human Resource Development Department at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. As a business owner, she was also among the first women to join the Rotary Club in Rochester, Michigan. She retired as the owner and president of Somerset Academy in Troy, Michigan in 2015, following the school’s 40th anniversary celebration. 

While small in stature, Sandy’s personality was truly larger than life. She had a radiant smile, joy-filled laugh, and she made friends with every person with whom she came into contact. She saw the world as her community and put great energy into assisting anyone who needed a helping hand. She brought joy to everyone near her with her singing, dancing, laughter, and kindness. 

Of Sandy’s innumerable passions, her greatest joy was her family. She and her loving husband, Ned S. McClurg, married on June 6, 1981, and shared 43 years of laughter, fun, and travel — including an around-the-world trip in which they traced Darwin’s voyage in the Beagle. To her three daughters – Kimberly Andringa (Patrick Seed), Tara Andringa Dunfee (John Dunfee), and Meredith McClurg (Jeffrey Krauss), she was a best friend, feminist inspiration, warm embrace, and endless source of laughter. She had boundless energy as Nana to her six grandchildren – Regan Andringa-Seed, Taylor Dunfee, Cecilia Krauss-McClurg, Connor Dunfee, Quinn Andringa-Seed, and Sev Krauss-McClurg – with whom she could be found ziplining, riding scooters, hula-hooping, playing basketball, kayaking, making up stories, and singing at the top of her lungs. When each grandchild turned 13, Sandy and Ned took them on a trip anywhere in the world that they chose, leading to excursions to Italy, the Galapagos, London, Paris, and Alaska. She hosted grandkids for “Camp Nana” in the summer and kept a sign on her desk that spelled out her credo: “What happens at Nana’s stays at Nana’s.”

In addition to her husband, children, and grandchildren, she is survived by a brother, James Shannon (Nancy), sister-in-law, Mary Beth Collins, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Rick Shannon, her sister Debbie Shannon and her brother-in-law Ken Collins. 

Sandy brought fun everywhere she went, and she found joy in many things. She loved to paddle in her kayaks, practice yoga, make vases of flowers (which sometimes covered the entire kitchen counter), analyze dreams, and make homemade greeting cards. She had a passion for flying and found nearly endless ways to do so, including hot air balloon rides, parasailing, gliding, and indoor skydiving. She loved collecting things, and over the years collected pigs, fish, thimbles, and a full army of Santa Clauses. She was a great admirer of Jim Henson, Sesame Street, and the Muppets – which she proudly displayed with a “Ms. Piggy” personalized license plate. Sandy loved to entertain, and over the years hosted everything from holiday gatherings to annual bowling parties.

Sandy brought her passion for life to many social causes. She was a lifelong feminist and activist, and marched for civil rights, for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and for reproductive rights. She was an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood and served on the Board of Planned Parenthood of Western and Northern Michigan for about 10 years, including a term as Board Chair. Sandy and Ned also hosted many political fundraisers for Democratic candidates in Michigan at their home in Harbor Springs after they retired. 

The family is planning a Celebration of Life event for friends and loved ones at a later date. Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the family at https://www.hallwynne.com/obituaries

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of Sandy may be made to 

Planned Parenthood-  https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/onlineactions/KDlEsm4r6EizP0SdpEj8Fg2?sourceid=1000068&_gl=1*e3y7nw*_gcl_au*MTc4MTQzMTgwNi4xNzI2MjMwMjUw*_ga*MTk2MjIyNzY0Ni4xNzI2MjMwMjQ0*_ga_ENXC8KHJL8*MTcyNjIzMDI0My4xLjEuMTcyNjIzMDkwNy4wLjAuMTM4OTA4NjYzMA.. 

Charles House in Chapel Hill https://charleshouse.org/donate 

The National Association for the Education of Young Children- https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E252027&id=5