Sandra K. (Jadwin) Buntaine

Sandra K. Buntaine, 83, passed away peacefully at home with her loving family beside her. She was born on April 21, 1942, to L. Howard Jadwin and Evelyn K. (Brown) Jadwin, and lived a full and beautiful life centered around family, service, and community. Sandra was an only child, a role that shaped the strong, steady, and independent woman she became.

Sandra was married for 64 years to the love of her life, Robert Buntaine. Together they built a life rooted in devotion, hard work, and shared passions. Robert often said the secret to their long and successful marriage was simple: “We were equal partners, and it worked.”

After settling in Alvarado, Sandra became an integral part of the community. In 1986, she played a key role in establishing the Alvarado Public Library and the Alvarado Senior Citizen Center, working alongside dear friends Otis Percifield and Woolard Robertson. Her dedication to serving others left a legacy that continues to enrich the community today.

Sandra was also passionate about preserving local history. She assisted in organizing the cleaning, restoring, and helped reestablish Balch Cemetery along with her son Rob, and she located and documented graves in the adjacent Balch-Senterwood Cemetery, the historic African-American burial ground that originated after the tragic death of a young Black girl killed by a bear. Today, the cemetery is recognized by a Texas Historical Marker, in part due to preservation efforts like hers.

Her hobbies and interests reflected her spirit of adventure and her deep love for animals and tradition. Sandra raised, bred and judged  English Mastiffs for 30 years. She trained and raced Arabian horses, and spent years involved in Arabian horse racing in Texas and on the East Coast. She and Robert were also deeply involved in the antique business, traveling all over the country to buy, collect, and treasure unique pieces for resale in Texas. Their love of classic and antique vehicles led them to participate in multiple antique car clubs, forming friendships nationwide.

Sandra is survived by her son, Robert Howard Buntaine of Guthrie, Oklahoma, and his wife Traci. Rob, like his mother, was an only child, and the bond they shared was one of profound closeness.

She is also survived by her grandson, Lane Austin Sandlin, and his wife Madison, as well as her great-grandson, Walker Sandlin, who brought immense joy to her later years.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. at Clayton Kay Vaughan Funeral Home in Alvarado, Texas prior to the graveside service at 2 p.m. at Glenwood Cemetery.

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