Sandy Grindle

OBITUARY

Our beloved sister, Sandra Lynne Grindle, 84, passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease on February 14, 2026 in Roseburg, Oregon. Sandy was the daughter of A.W. “Woody” and Dorathea “Dotty” Grindle of Chula Vista. After graduating from San Diego State University, Sandy taught for over fifty years in the Chula Vista junior and senior high schools. She was a talented, dedicated, and enthusiastic teacher, spending many hours perfecting innovative math and physics demonstrations. Her IB Physics students were treated to many memorable experiences including complex, fascinating experiments, and hundreds of homemade brownies she baked and individually gift wrapped. Sandy pursued her master’s degree in physics instruction from Cal State Fullerton to enhance her teaching skills. Teaching was her proudest accomplishment; her “happy place.” Throughout her life Sandy sought new experiences and skills, mastering the accordion as a child, lifeguarding and sailing as a teen, building a geodesic dome home as a geometry teacher, and teaching internationally in South Korea as an IB physics instructor. Always an animal lover, Sandy owned birds, cats, and dogs, including five rescued Greyhounds. In her late seventies, you could find Sandy on her tractor mowing the lower forty. Sandy is survived by her sister Margaret (Brian), brother Daniel (Michaela), nephew John (Christine), niece Ritamarie (Eli), and three great-nephews, Colin, Hank, and Joe.

Vanessa Van Laanen Gwynne

OBITUARY

Vanessa Van Laanen Gwynne was born on September 9, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Studio City. She began studying the flute at an early age and became a talented young musician, performing in youth orchestras. She attended UC San Diego, majoring in music, and later earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Southern California.

Vanessa spent her career at the Coronado Public Library, where she worked in Children’s Services, Reference, and as the Audio-Visual Specialist. She was a passionate advocate for libraries and public service, believing deeply in the role libraries play in preserving access to knowledge and intellectual freedom. She booked a wide range of musicians to perform in the Coronado Winn Room, presenting summer festivals, holiday concerts, and weekly brown-bag piano recitals. She loved literature, especially mysteries, and had a lifelong passion for classical music and opera. An accomplished flutist, she played flute, alto flute, and piccolo in community bands and orchestras, including the Coronado Community Band, TICO Community Orchestra, and the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble.

In her final circle around the seasons, she faced ALS with grace and resilience, retaining her sense of humor even in difficult moments. She found solace in the songbirds that frequented the backyard, the doves perched outside at dusk, and the warmth of the fire in the hearth. Vanessa will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her lifelong commitment to performing music, and the values she embodied as a librarian.

She is survived by her husband of forty-seven years, Steve, her children, Kevin and Laura, her beloved Goldendoodle, Beau, and her siblings, Valen and Victoria.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Vanessa’s memory may be made to ALS San Diego or the ALS Association.