Sandra "Sandy" Kaye Hughett was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, the only child of Lorraine and Alex Hughett. She started school in Virginia but spent her high school years in Alabama. She became an ardent Alabama fan who loved the Crimson Tide and the color red. Her cars were always red; even her washing machine and dryer were Alabama red.

Sandra graduated from Jacksonville State College (now Jacksonville State University) in Jacksonville, Alabama, in 1966. She was a cheerleader and a Senior Class beauty. She moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and began her teaching career in the Business Department at Paxon Senior High School. When her principal was selected to open Sandalwood Junior-Senior High School, Sandra was among the many Paxon teachers who went to Sandalwood. During this time, she earned her Master's Degree from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Sandra remained at Sandalwood until she was offered an assistant principalship as Community School Coordinator at Englewood High School. After suffering a severe stroke, she retired from Englewood in 1998 and lived in Ponte Vedra Beach until her death. Sandy was truly one of a kind. She loved life and it could always be said that, "She did it her way."