02/09/2026
As we honor Black History Month, we pause to celebrate the life of one recent resident, Sandra “Sandy” Wickware, a trailblazer, mentor, and leader whose impact stretched across generations.
Sandra made history as the first African American female firefighter in the state of Indiana, serving with the Brazil Fire Department at a time when few women, and even fewer Black women, were welcomed into the profession. Her courage was shaped early. Sandra spoke openly about growing up as a Black child in Indiana during the 1950s and 1960s, years marked by racism, exclusion, and quiet endurance, experiences that forged her resilience and deep commitment to justice.
Remembering her strength, her friend Wanda Miller wrote:
“She never backed down from challenges… with a strong heart of gold.”
But Sandra’s life was never defined by one role. She devoted decades to lifting others, as a Foster Grandparent, mentor at Ryves Youth Center, volunteer in Vigo County Schools, CASA advocate, correctional officer, and active member of the NAACP. She believed deeply in representation, showing young people, especially Black girls, that women belong everywhere, even in spaces long labeled “a man’s job.”
Her calm strength left a lasting impression. Those who worked alongside her noted that she taught children “they could disagree with someone without becoming angry,” modeling dignity, patience, and respect in action.
Sandra Wickware’s legacy reminds us that learning is an act of love, that courage can be quiet, and that showing up, humbly, and faithfully is how real change takes root.
We honor Sandra and our thoughts are with her firends and family after her recent passing at the Morning Light Home in January. It was an honor to serve a woman who served others her whole life. 🖤
