Sandra Elizabeth Benavides passed away on Friday, November 12, 2021, in Denton, Texas with her husband and four daughters by her side. She was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala to Alberto and Sara Molina on November 17, 1957. She immigrated to the United States in the early 1960s and later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. She is a graduate of Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland where she grew up. She attended Ricks College, now Brigham Young University Idaho, Brigham Young University Hawaii where she received an Associate of Science Degree, the University of North Texas where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a Graduation Diploma from the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Sandra served a mission in Los Angeles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She enjoyed sharing the gospel with others. Scripture study and prayer were a daily routine in her life. Sandra loved to read and study and consistently added books to her library. She was a devoted teacher and loved children. She served as a teacher for the Jewish Community Center in Akron, Ohio and was a substitute teacher for Denton ISD.

Sandra married Abraham David Benavides in 1986 in the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where they began their eternal family. She was so proud of her daughters and loved each one of them tremendously. She is preceded in death by her mother Sara Molina.

Sandra loved to cook. Her specialties were Chinese food, Mediterranean cuisine, fillet mignon, traditional food from Guatemala, and a number of other dishes. She also had over 100 spices in her kitchen. Sandra was also an expert baker. Her pastries, cakes, desserts were unrivaled in terms of presentation and taste. She collected dishes and had just about every sort of kitchenware imaginable.

Her community service included serving on the Community Development Advisory Committee and the Census 2020 Committee for the city of Denton. She was Precinct Chair 1012 for the Republican Party of Denton County, and volunteered service in other community events. She was a faithful devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in many callings helping and influencing hundreds of members.

Visitation will be held at 9:00 AM, Saturday, November 20, 2021, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3000 Old North Road in Denton, Texas. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 AM with interment following at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton.

Sandra is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 35 years Abraham David Benavides of Denton Texas, her four daughters, Veronica Christina Rodriguez-Condori and her husband Jesus and Sandra's granddaughter Isabella Saminchay Rodriguez-Condori from Salt Lake City Utah, Monica Elizabeth Benavides, from Provo, Utah, Rebecca Alexandra Doan and her husband Joshua from Orem, Utah, and Jessica Marie Benavides from Denton, Texas a current medical student.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Sandra Elizabeth Benavides Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund for BYU Hawaii. Please click on the following link to contribute:

https://donate.churchofjesuschrist.org/donations/byu-hawaii?funds=302501237&