The Sisters Grimm Blog
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

The Sisters Grimm Blog

Learn of Old San Antonio's History and Dark Secrets

Sandra West: The Most Famous Burial in San Antonio's History

5/19/2016

16 Comments

 
Picture

Who Was Sandra West?

Sandra Ilene West was born January 2, 1939 in Beverly Hills, California. Her parents owned and operated a children's clothing store where Sandra often watched the wealthy and famous come and go. Growing up she realized that her dream was to become just like them- wealthy and famous! As she grew older, her looks attracted many men including Frank Sinatara and even Elvis Presley. She eventually started to date an heir to a wealthy oil family from Texas named Sol West. Sol was said to be quite the ladies man and wasn't very faithful to Sandra. Realizing this and eventually finding out that Sol had an older brother who was the true heir- she left Sol in search of his wealthy older brother Ike.

Marriage to Ike West

Ike West had disappointed his wealthy parents too many times with his obsessive drug habits and alcohol abuse. So in order to keep him from ruining his family's reputation, they sent him off to live in Mexico with his body guard. When Sandra found out about the wealthy heir, she decided to travel down to Mexico and meet Ike West. And with "loving patience" Sandra cleaned up Ike and convinced his family that he had turned over a new leaf and was ready to take the reigns of the company- with of course with her by his side. They were married shortly thereafter and moved to California to live the high life.

Sandra West, Beverly Hills Socialite

Picture

With this new life came the trappings of 1960s excess, a Beverly Hills Mansion, flashy clothes and fast cars. Shortly after her arrival, Sandra came to own the car that would make her famous, a 1964 Ferrari 330 America s/n 5055. Her blue America was imported by Chinetti Motors and appears to have been with the West’s throughout their stay in California. The West’s lived the 60s fast life but it didn’t last for Ike Jr. He had a history of drug use and health problems caused by rapid weight fluctuation. He died under mysterious circumstances at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel in 1968. With his demise, his widow now became known to the press as “Sandra West, Beverly Hills Socialite and Heiress”.

She dated a slew of entertainers (including singer Engelbert Humperdinck) and generally lived the high life. During the 1960s she was known as fun loving with a fondness for attention grabbing behavior. Never one for subtlety, she was seen about town dressed in large amounts of jewelry and a mink coat or in a “Texas Rodeo Queen” ensemble complete with rhinestones and a stylish hat. She motored to society events and dinners in one of a fleet of cars that included a Stutz Blackhawk and at least three Ferraris, the 330 America, a 1969 365GT 2+2 and a 1973 Dino. On one occasion she drove in all her finery to Chasen’s, the landmark Beverly Hills eatery frequented by Johnny Carson and the Reagan’s, where she made a grand entrance, and then ordered a hamburger to go and sped away.
​
Though Ms. West’s behavior would seem to be that of an extrovert, her associates (sadly, mostly doctors, nurses and lawyers) described her as lonely person with few true friends. She was known to give extravagant gifts to those who provided some small service to her. Shortly before her death she presented a $250,000 platinum and diamond cross to a part time nurse. Most gifts were unconditional, but she saved her most sizable gift, a gift worth millions, for one who would render a service to her and her favorite Ferrari.
Picture

Egyptology and the Writing of the Will

Sandra became obsessed with the ancient Egyptians and their practices of being buried with their world possessions. She thought if they could do it- she would as well! So as she became more a recluse inside of her house and cut the outside world from her presence, she began to create a will that would one day shock the world.
Unfortunately soon after Sandra wrote her will, she passed away from a mix of her previous injuries she had sustained from a car wreck and her abuse of drugs. She was only 38 years old. When her will was discovered, Sol West (her previous lover and now brother-in-law) was charged with the commission to have her be buried in her favorite powder blue Ferrari, in her white lace nightgown with the seat comfortably reclined. She also wanted to be buried next to her husband in their family cemetery plot in San Antonio, Tx. And if he did not follow these instructions he would not inherit the rest of their fortune. Sol was furious he had to comply with his sister-in-laws ridiculous will, so he went to court. But after three months, the court ordered him to do as Sandra had asked.

Burial of Sandra West

Picture
Picture
Sandra's body was dug up from a temporary grave in California, dressed in her white night gown and seated in the front seat of her Ferrari, with the chair comfortably reclined. She and the car were put into a large wooden box that was then driven on the back of a semi all the way to San Antonio, Texas.
On May 19, 1977 Sandra Ilene West finally received the funeral she desired in the glare of television lights and in front of over 150 spectators. The box containing Ms. West and her beloved Ferrari 330 America was lowered into the 20 foot long grave and then covered with cement. The funeral director indicated that the cement was added as the cemetery was in a high crime area and he feared the car would be back on the street in a day!
Today the blue Ferrari, the 1964 330 America s/n 5055 and its owner rest together under a simple stone at the San Antonio Masonic Cemetery, likely the most bizarre if not the most famous burial in San Antonio's history.
Picture

Find out more about Sandra West and others buried in the Eastside Cemetery District during Sisters Grimm Annual Halloween Cemetery Tours in October.

16 Comments

13 Facts About Friday the 13th

5/13/2016

5 Comments

 
Picture

Friday 13th has long been associated with bad luck and generally staying indoors to avoid black cats and falling ladders. But what are the facts behind this age-old superstition?
​

#1 -There is a medical term for the fear of this day

Picture
The fear of Friday the 13th is also called ‘Friggatriskaidekaphobia’ or ‘Paraskevidekatriaphobia’. Frigg comes from the Norse goddess of wisdom after whom Friday is named, triskaideka meaning 13, and phobia meaning fear.

#2 - It's an Unlucky Day Only For Some

Picture
Friday the 13th is not universally seen as a day of misery. For example, in Italy, Friday the 17th and not Friday the 13th is considered to be a day that brings bad luck. In fact, the number 13 is considered to be a lucky number!
In many Spanish speaking countries and in Greece, Tuesday the 13th is seen as a day of misfortune.

#3 - The Day Inspired One of the Highest Grossing Film Series

Picture
The commercially successful Friday the 13th enterprise includes 12 horror movies, a television series and several books that focus on curses and superstitions. Even though the films and the television series consistently received negative reviews from critics, they have a huge following. The mask worn by the key character in the films, Jason Voorhees, is one of the most known images in popular culture.


#4- The Day Might Have Originated From The Time of Jesus

Picture
While it is not proven, many historians believe that the origin of 13 being an unlucky number grew from the story of The Last Supper. Jesus had 13 guests at his last meal, and the 13th guest was Judas—the infamous betrayer of Jesus. Jesus was then crucified on a Friday. This is what has been pieced together over the years to explain where Friday the 13th got its bad rap.

#5 - The Date Will Occur Only Once This Year

Picture
Don’t worry, if you fear the day, let us tell you that it can only come thrice in a year at the most. Unfortunately, it’ll come once in a year for sure, so the maximum you go without seeing Friday the 13th is 14 months.

#6 - It Became Mainstream in the 19th Century

Picture
As stated earlier, the modern paranoia of Friday the 13th became mainstream around 1800.
Henry Sutherland Edwards’ wrote in the 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on a Friday 13th, that:

"He [Rossini] was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."


Later a 1907 novel titled Friday, the Thirteenth by Thomas W. Lawson’s popularized the idea in America. The novel is about a “Wolf of Wall Street” type broker who takes advantage of the superstition to wreak havoc on Wall Street.

#7- Famous People Have Died on This Date

Picture
Beloved rapper Tupac Shakur was killed on Friday, Sept. 13, 1996. Another notable Friday the 13th death was that of Julia Child in Aug. 2004.

#8- Another Reason The Number 13 is Unlucky

Picture
Some numerologist believe the number 13 is considered unlucky because of its relation to the number 12. Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number: 12 months in a year, 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 hours on a clock.

#9- The 13th Floor

Picture
According to National Geographic, more than 80 percent of highrise buildings avoid having a 13th floor. Hospitals skip the 13th floor and many hotels skip having a room No. 13. Some airports even skip having a gate 13.

#10- The Full Moon

Picture
The number 13 is considered lucky by some. For pagans, it represents the number of full moons in a year.

#11 - Friday the 13th Myths

Picture
There are a number of myths and superstitions are associated with the day:
  • If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die.
  • If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, you will be the next to die.
  • Do not start a trip on Friday or you will encounter misfortune.
  • If you break a mirror on Friday the 13th, you will have seven years of bad luck.
  • A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.
  • Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck.
  • If you walk under a ladder or if a black cat crosses you on Friday the 13th, you will have bad luck.

#12 - Outer Space Isn't Safe

Picture
On Friday April 13, 2029, a large asteroid will fly close enough to the Earth to be visible without a telescope in Africa, Europe and Asia, according to NASA.

#13 -Very Superstitious

Picture
Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.
5 Comments

    Author

    The Sisters Grimm offers award winning ghost tours in San Antonio, TX

    ​Visit our wesbite at www.SistersGrimmGhostTour.com

    Archives

    February 2017
    August 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact