Sandra Lee Staggs, born December 18, 1941, to the late Ewell Wright and Clara Rigsby Wright, passed away on February 15, 2025, at the age of 83. She was the widow of Mr. Waymer Staggs and a retired hospital lab supervisor.

While raising four children, she pursued her education, completing a year of training before beginning her career at the local hospital. Through hard work and dedication, she became a supervisor overseeing multiple small, rural hospital labs and even spent time teaching lab school. Despite facing challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field and lacking a formal degree beyond high school and trade school, she tirelessly expanded her knowledge of laboratory science. She worked full-time while managing a household, often putting in long hours, weekends, and on-call shifts that required late-night trips to the hospital.

After nearly 40 years of service, she retired due to health reasons. Her dedication and excellence were formally recognized in 1983 when she received the Distinguished Excellence Award from the American Medical Technologists Society, a prestigious national honor given to a laboratory technologist who made significant contributions to the profession. She was chosen for this award over every other tech in the United States that year—an incredible achievement. She exemplified true professionalism, and her impact was felt long after she left the workplace. Her colleagues and those she mentored continued to speak of her dedication, perseverance, and the lasting impression she made in the field of laboratory science.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sandra found joy in spending time with her family. She loved painting with her grandchildren, creating cherished memories through art, and watching movies with her grandson. These moments brought her great happiness and will be treasured by her loved ones.

Mrs. Staggs is survived by her son, Scott (Barbara) Staggs; daughter, Diane (Steve) Kemp; daughter, Susan Clements; sister, Linda Peery; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

There are currently no services scheduled at this time.

McDonald Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Staggs family.