Sandra Sue Wayne was born February 3rd, 1947, in Kansas City to Grace Adams and adopted by Grace's first cousin Erma (Adams) Stevens (later Leap). Raised in KC's Northeast, she graduated from Northeast High School in 1965 and worked at Sears and the I.R.S. before becoming a news adapter at the Army Home Town News Center, Independence & Hardesty, KC. Coworkers there encouraged her to further her education; after taking several courses at Penn Valley, she made the jump to CMSU in 1970. Sandra earned a BS in English in 1974 and her MS in Mass Communications in 1977. As a Graduate Assistant at the CMSU Museum, she created & promoted a monthly old time music show featuring local acoustic musicians.

Sandra waited tables at Warrensburg's Breeze Inn where she met a number of Air Force officers, including her future husband, Bill. She invited herself to accompany him to a skeet shoot on March 15th, 1971; they married in the historic Old Courthouse on April 30, 1977.

Sandra followed Bill to stations at Chanute AFB, IL, Cleveland, OH, and Griffiss AFB, Rome NY. In Illinois she worked as a PR specialist at the state Soil Conservation Service office – a high point of this job was taking aerial photos leaning out the door of a single engine plane. In Cleveland, she was an adjunct at the local community college and worked in DCASR personnel. In New York she again taught at a community college and wrote humorously.informative columns for the Officers' Wives Club newsletter. She also was noted for painting outdoor scenes on rocks, given as door prizes at their annual Halloween party. After Bill retired in1986, they returned to Warrensburg, where they operated Cedarcroft Farm Bed & Breakfast at her Great-grandfather John A. Adams' farm from 1988-2016. Wherever she went, she made friends easily because she liked people.

Sandra & Bill loved to travel by car, visiting each of the lower 48 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Sandra most loved the Southwest, especially New Mexico. It gave her the opportunity to shine at her favorite hobby, photography. She won numerous prizes at local art shows and the Missouri State Fair.

Sandra was also a writer; Sweet Gum Press published one volume of her poetry with a second set for release this fall. Sandra was a promoter: she loved to get involved with events and organizations to help them succeed. She worked with Blind Boone Park, Mid-Missouri Artists, and various tourism and historical groups.

Sandra's birth mother & adopted mother predeceased her, along with half-brother Gary Burnett and aunt Catherine (Adams) Shumate, horses Star, Buddy, Scruffy and Ahab, and assorted cats. She is survived by her husband William T. (Bill) Wayne, half brother Wayne Burnett, Warsaw, half sisters Glenda McCullough (Don) and Patty Burnett of Kansas City, Uncle Murray Kugler of Las Cruces, N, )and feline friends Topsy, Cisco & Timmy. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Adams Memorial Cemetery or Pleasant Bethel Baptist Church. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.