Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Remembering Sandy Thompson: 1948-2002

Sandy's column appeared every Sunday on this page, and if she discovered an injustice, she would let readers know about it in an unflinching, no-holds-barred style. Some of those columns led to important changes in state law that improved the welfare of children in Nevada. Today we'd like to share some of the many letters we've received from people whose lives were touched by Sandy, whether it was through journalism or her volunteer work in the community.

Sandy was truly interested in welfare of kids

I don't understand how things like this can happen. Sandy Thompson and I had lunch at Red Lobster on East Flamingo on Thursday the day before the accident.

I hadn't known Sandy very long but we had become friends. We spoke often on the telephone as she had a lot of clout and was very involved in the Donna's House project, a project named in memory of my daughter Donna Hernandez, who was murdered on Oct. 6, 1999, in front of her then-3-year-old daughter, Ana. Sandy was very interested in the welfare of my granddaughter Ana, who has been in my care since her mother was murdered. Sandy called me quite often to check up on Ana.

Thursday at lunch Sandy spoke to me about her daughter and how proud she was of her. Sandy told me she was very protective of her daughter and that all parents should be with their own children because of the world we live in.

Sandy and I had a lot in common -- the love for children. We had many plans that we discussed and were going to try to work on together.

I loved Sandy and I will miss her because she was a great lady and a wonderful friend. I cried a lot on Friday, not for Sandy, because I know she went straight to heaven, but for myself because of the loss of a great friend.

Thanks, Sandy, you will be missed!

ANNIE GRIEGO

A hand in law being changed

Much has been said in praise of Sandy Thompson and rightfully so. May I please be permitted to offer the following, which I believe provides a genuine insight into the kind of person Sandy was:

A couple of years ago I was approached about the child support cap. It was pointed out that the cap had not been raised in 14 years. As I researched the history of the law, I became convinced that the children of divorce had been ignored by the Legislature for far too long. In December of 2000 I made a formal presentation to the Legislative Commission on the subject, asking for its commitment to raise the cap in the '01 session. It would be inaccurate to say I was brushed off, but it was also obvious no one was all that interested in taking up the cause of the kids.

I decided to send a copy of my presentation to Sandy and Mike O'Callaghan. Within 24 hours I found myself on the phone with Sandy. She wanted every bit of info I had and, like the great reporter she was, she wanted names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone involved so she could check and make sure the facts in my presentation were correct.

Then, right after the holidays in January '01, I opened my Sunday Sun and there was Sandy's column: "Raise cap on child support payments." It was Sandy in her element, doing what she did best, giving voice to those unable to speak for themselves. And, yes, the law was changed and now includes an inflation escalator so the real victims of divorce, the kids, should never again be left twisting in the wind for 14 years.

Sandy Thompson was a wonderful human being whose loss to us cannot be measured. My sincere condolences to the Sun family.

KNIGHT ALLEN

Sandy was born to be a mother

I worked for Sandy Thompson at the Sun when I was a reporter/feature writer there and was devastated to hear of her death. Sandy was one of the best editors I ever knew. Besides being a great writer, she had the capacity to listen and to understand when a reporter wanted to stretch their creative boundaries.

I left the paper twice and she took me back twice -- a kindness I will never forget. But above and beyond her journalism expertise, Sandy was a born mother. She loved her daughter and her husband beyond any measure, and I can't imagine what they are going through. My heart goes out to them.

My Friday started out bright and sunny -- but now it feels like a sunset. My condolences to the Sun and to all who knew her. Rest in peace, Sandy.

LYNN BERK

Court pushed to new heights

For the past 10 years, each Sunday morning was greeted with getting the newspaper and turning to Sandy Thompson's column. Even before the coffee was made, I was considering the contents of her column -- sometimes applauding; on a few occasions, not. Last Sunday, there was no column.

When it came to Family Court and child welfare issues, Sandy was an exceptional editorial writer. She did her research. It was not uncommon to walk into the Family Court Building to find Sandy looking over a file. She was careful in her research and was careful in choosing her battles.

Her involvement with Family Court did not come from some disregard or disrespect for Family Court. She just expected so much. She wanted the court to succeed; perhaps, beyond its ability to succeed. Her criticism was not to defeat the court but to push it to new heights. The families of Clark County, in her view, needed such a court.

As time went on, Sandy became less involved in the domestic aspects of Family Court and turned to child welfare. It was her regard and compassion for abused and neglected children that made her unique.

The term "child advocate" is often overused. It is easy to be sympathetic to a given child but a child advocate must demonstrate a consistent, compassionate commitment to all children. Sandy was a true child advocate. She fought for children. She wrote about the plight of abused and neglected children in the hope that the community would understand the critical needs of these fragile children.

Sandy's untimely death has resulted in the loss of the best voice abused and neglected children had in the community. Because of her compassion and commitment, those of us here will try harder to practice the lessons she taught.

God bless you, Sandy. To her family, take pride in knowing that your loved one touched more people in good ways than you can imagine.

GERALD HARDCASTLE The writer is a Clark County Family Court judge.

Who will carry on her legacy?

Whose voice will speak out for our children now? Whose voice will speak out for the mothers, fathers and grandparents, in their effort to protect our children/grandchildren. Who now will have the guts and determination to speak out against the Family Court's judges, lawyers and laws that have so damaged our children?

Whose voice will now speak out and comfort the parents/grandparents and help calm their fears concerning their children? So many of our children need to know whose compassion, heart and voice will be heard on their behalf. Who will live up to Sandy Thompson's legacy? Sandy's heart was her voice!

In January 1997, Sandy included me and my son in the article she did on "Family Courts: Out of Order." I believe with her voice, she helped my son's voice be heard and now he is home with me. I spoke with Sandy just a few weeks ago. Sandy was a very special person in my life, my son's life and his "Auntie's" life. We will love and admire her, and always be grateful to her, as will so many others. We will miss Sandy, her heart and her voice.

TONI MARCHESE

Greatest ally for court reform

In regard to the loss of Sandy Thompson, I don't know anyone personally who was as tenacious as Sandy when it came to children's welfare. Sandy was one in a million. She always put the little persons of Las Vegas before herself. Whenever we would contact her, she was available, interested and concerned. She made a permanent impression in my life as she did with so many others.

Sandy clearly understood that children and devastated parents were caught up in a bureaucratic political system, referred to as "Family Court." A court where evidence was often suppressed, where powerful attorneys and money ran the show. In a forum where children were silenced, Sandy took a stand for justice and for children. She filled the gap where children are often said to fall in divorce litigation.

The loss of Sandy is immense, for it is also the loss of the children's voices. Fortunate are those who knew Sandy and confided in her with their broken lives. Sandy Thompson was and will always be my heroine. She was the greatest ally of the Coalition for Family Court Reform and a wonderful counselor.

My heart aches and I will miss Sandy dearly. I am sure that she will be welcomed in heaven with the same unconditional love that she had for others. I am sure she will be told, "Job well done."

AL DICICCO Cedar City, Utah The writer, a former resident of Southern Nevada, is an advocate of Family Court reform.

Paper salutes Thompson

My condolences to the Sun family on the sudden death of Sandy Thompson. It was hard to hear the news as word spread in our newsroom that Sandy was the person killed in the traffic accident on Far Hills and the beltway.

Sandy will be long remembered for her contributions to journalism in Nevada and the people of Las Vegas.

SHERMAN R. FREDERICK The writer is publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Family Court well-served

It's 11:30 p.m., the most relaxing part of my evenings, and my two beautiful daughters are tucked in and fast asleep, and I always sit and read my evening paper. However, tonight was very different. I glanced down and saw a picture of my favorite journalist, except it was not in its normal spot; as I read on I learned that Sandra Thompson's life was tragically cut short.

The tears rolled down my face for some time. I never met Sandra but had many telephone conversations with her over the past eight years. You see, I was one of the many people in this great city who she extended a hand and an ear to as I had to navigate my way through an extremely unorganized Family Court system. I credit her for single-handedly bringing to light the problems that existed with a then-new system called Family Court. Sandra was my hero, my angel and the voice for so many children.

She put Family Court on notice that she was taking notice and, because of her, future litigants will experience a much friendlier, expedited system. Sandra was a woman who got hundreds of calls from people who at that time were going through the toughest, most emotionally charged situation of their lives, that being divorce and custody of their children. Ten percent of the time she would write about it, but the other 90 percent of the time she was just a sympathetic ear. She was one of the best child advocates this city has ever seen. She helped more people than any of us will ever know.

I extend my deepest sympathy to her husband, Gary, daughter Kelly, and to her other family at the Sun newspaper who in the last week lost two of their finest journalists. Someone someday will fill their spots in the paper but no one can ever replace them.

I know in my heart through many years of communications with Sandy that I was truly touched by an angel.

I will miss you Sandra Thompson, rest in peace and I thank you.

SUSAN E. COKER-STEVENS

A champion for Nevada children

My heart goes out to the Sun family on the loss of one of Southern Nevada's preeminent journalists. Sandra Thompson was a champion for all the children of Nevada -- and a woman I greatly admired.

Many times when I was a reporter I would call Sandy and ask her advice on covering Family Court. More importantly, for those families who weren't "stories," Sandy would advise me where to send them for help.

The Sun's Aug. 9 story on Sandy truly captured the essence of a woman who made a difference in so many lives.

CATHY HANSON The writer is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Service given is appreciated

I am deeply saddened by the death of the Sun's vice president, Sandy Thompson.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Thompson in person, and yet I feel like we have been friends for the last four years. Through reading her columns and an occasional e-mail correspondence, I have felt her presence and guidance. I hold her in high esteem and appreciate her dedicated service to our community.

Her columns validated my belief that a group of local residents who volunteer their time and money on project after project can make an impact in the community and will one day be recognized as making a difference in Las Vegas.

As president of the Summerlin Lions Club, I was probably among the first to sign up to attend last Wednesday's scheduled panel presentation of local media representatives at the Donald Reynolds Scouting Resource Center, an event that Sandy had been scheduled to attend.

It's sad that I will never be able to meet Sandy Thompson, who is "all heart." I wanted to tell her in person that a group of our club members again will be poll workers in the upcoming primary and general elections.

I especially wanted her to know that we are going one step further. We are donating our pay to our club charity fund designated to help those in need locally. Sandy would have been pleased to hear this.

ESTHER LOUIE

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