Sandra Lee Lazarus (“Sandi”) and William Lavich Lazarus (“Bill”), both of McKinney, Texas, passed away together on July 17, 2026, at the age of 77. Their lives were a beautiful reflection of love, partnership, and devotion to family, spanning more than five decades of marriage. Sandi was born on March 25, 1949, in Miami, Florida, to Theodore Charles Pickard and Mary Sophie Mycek. Growing up, she formed a special bond with her grandparents, Grampsey and Grandpa. Bill was born on September 30, 1948, in Irvington, New Jersey, to Norton Arthur Lazarus and Ruth Lavich Lazarus. He spent part of his early childhood traveling throughout Italy and Germany with his family before they eventually settled in Miami, where he would later meet the love of his life, Sandi.
Sandi and Bill were united in marriage on January 18, 1970, in Miami, Florida, beginning a lifelong journey filled with adventure and shared purpose. Shortly after their wedding, they moved to South Carolina, where Bill attended college and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1973. During those early years, Sandi worked as a teacher’s aide at Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary School, while Bill worked in a planetarium before being hired by NCR. The couple was blessed with two daughters, Suzi and Sherri, who were the center of their world. Family life was rich with memories of road trips to camp in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Yellowstone National Park.
In 1991, the family relocated to Dayton, Ohio, where Bill continued his career with NCR and later started his own company. Sandi continued her work in education at Magsig Middle School, where she was honored with the Excellence in Education Award in 2009 for helping academically-challenged children learn and grow. Beyond their professional lives, Sandi and Bill shared many hobbies and interests. They loved watching the Dayton Dragons baseball team, playing friendly rounds of darts, and enjoying family games of dominoes and pinochle. Their continued love of travel led them to explore many of the nation’s most treasured national parks and landmarks. These adventures later expanded to include destinations further afield such as Hawaii, Australia, and Scotland. Life also had its own challenges for Sandi and Bill. Bill struggled to keep his new business afloat during the 2008 financial crisis, and Sandi was a two-time breast cancer survivor. However, Sandi and Bill always faced these challenges together, and persevered with their characteristic kindness, adventurousness, and unwavering commitment to one another and their family.
In retirement, the couple moved to Texas, where they continued to give back to their community. They volunteered at local schools and were eventually hired by Allen ISD, where they both worked for several years. Sandi’s dedication was recognized in 2022 when she was named Allen ISD’s Paraprofessional of the Year, and Bill was given Ereckson Middle School’s Bellringer Award. Even after their retirement, their choice to remain active was based on their love of education and continued desire to fund their extensive road trips.
Sandi and Bill are survived by their daughters, Su-ann Balling of Dayton, Ohio, and Sheryl Perkin (Bruce) of Allen, Texas; granddaughter, Amber Vanlong (Sheldon) of Dayton, Ohio; grandsons, Andrew Balling of Dayton, Ohio, and Jake Perkin of London, England; great-granddaughters, Calliope and Aurora; Bill’s brother, Barrett Lazarus (Marla) of Florida, and sister, Robin Ridge of Indiana; Sandi’s sister, Becky Todd (Steve) of Georgia, and brother, Ted Pickard (Jeannine) of Mississippi; and a host of other loving family and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. The service will also be live-streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Sandi and Bill’s obituary page by clicking on the following link: celebrationoflife.tv/blog/sandra-william-lazarus.
Sandi and Bill will be remembered for their enduring love story, their unending sense of adventure, and their countless joyful family memories. In lieu of gifts, please consider donating to breast cancer research or to the National Park Service. All floral arrangements will be placed at the scene of the accident after the funeral.