Dear Classes of 1988, 1989, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, & 2021:

This is a Deacon Alert to inform you of the passing of Joanne Sandy on Sunday, Jan. 19th.

Joanne was the mother of Paige O'Keefe, Perry Sandy, Wade Sandy, Dave Sandy ('88), Tim Sandy ('89), and the grandmother of Shanley graduates/student Bethany (Sandy) Johnson ('12), Gabe Sandy ('14), Lauren (Sandy) Berg ('15), Anna (Sandy) Giauque ('16), Luke Sandy ('17), Drew Sandy ('20), Zach Sandy ('21), and Christian Sandy ('29).

Obituary:

Joanne was born April 22, 1944 to Alphonse and Anne Schildberger in Park River, ND. Her birth was accompanied by her twin sister Janice, giving the two girls 80 years of blessings.

Joanne grew up in Park River and graduated from high school there in 1962.

Joanne met Gerald (Jerry) Sandy when she was 18 while both were working at The Steak House. The two celebrated their wedding on February 16, 1963 in Park River and spent 61 years of marriage together, living in Grand Forks, Park River, Fargo, Miller, SD, and LaMoure. They had 5 children and moved back to Fargo when Jerry retired in January 2011.

Mom worked as a nurses’ aide at St Ansgar’s hospital in Park River. When we moved to Fargo, she worked at Head Start. But most of her time was spent as a homemaker.

Mom was athletic and enjoyed many activities such as curling, golf, softball, hiking, ice skating, sledding down hills, and later in life sledding behind the car with her grandchildren.

She enjoyed gardening and canning vegetables. Mom helped build an enclosed tree fort, with lofted beds, so we could spend the night comfortably outside.

Mom was social and involved in the community through Walsh County Right to Life, the Walsh County Curling Club, Hillcrest Golf Club, the Park River High School expansion, the bridge club, and also coached gymnastics. She enjoyed playing cards and was famous for bidding “zero” in the bid game.

She organized Park River hockey fundraisers and made posters for the state tournaments. She even called her friends at the volunteer fire department to arrange a grand return back to town when we won the state championship!

Mom was artistic and an excellent drawer. She made posters, free-hand, for events and special occasions. She made banners for our high school graduations. She played guitar and led the “Von Trapp Sandy” family in song at nursing homes and special events. She enjoyed listening to, and singing along with, ABBA on long car trips! She loved it when they had the annual polka mass at church each fall.

Mom was dedicated to her Catholic faith and volunteered as a CCD teacher. She painted pro-life billboards along the highways in Walsh County. She did the Five Saturdays devotion to our blessed mother Mary. She sang in the church choir and later was a Eucharistic Minister. She appeared on Real Presence Radio to discuss the blessings of Down Syndrome. She loved to give gifts that were blessed by a priest.

When the family moved to Fargo, we had no chance of attending Fargo North; Shanley was the only option. She was thankful and grateful to see her grandchildren attend Catholic schools.

Mom was an avid sports fan. She attended hundreds of baseball games, watching her sons and grandsons play ball. She attended fast pitch softball games, girls basketball and volleyball games. She was at figure skating shows and hockey games. She had a front row seat for tennis and golf. And she enjoyed watching high school football and high school track.

Mom loved a good meal and often times, before we were done with lunch, she would ask “what should we eat for supper?” She enjoyed tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, and frequently cooked meals from the old country, such as vermachka and dumplings with sauerkraut.

She was one of a kind and will be missed by so many!

On January 19, 2025 she was born into eternity. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alphonse and Anne, as well as her two brothers, Albert and Eugene.

She is survived by her husband Jerry; her 5 children, Paige (Marty) O’Keefe, Chaska, MN, Perry (Diane) Sandy, Waynesboro, PA, Wade (Amy) Sandy, Fargo, ND, Dave (Kylee) Sandy, Bismarck, ND, Tim (Kary) Sandy, Fargo, ND; her sister Janice Hoffman, Groton, SD; her 13 grandchildren, Katie O’Keefe, Erin O’Keefe, Eliana Sandy, Gabe Sandy, Anna Giauque, Christian Sandy, Nate Sandy, Maleah Hall, Bethany Johnson, Lauren Berg, Luke Sandy, Drew Sandy, Zach Sandy; and her 3 great grandchildren, Evie Johnson, Emilia Johnson, and Cru Berg; and many nieces and nephews from the Sandy family of Westhope and the Schildberger family of Park River and Pisek, respectively.

We would like to thank the staff at New Perspective Senior Living and Bethany Nursing Home for their wonderful service and excellent care during mom’s battle with cancer!

Prayer Service: 7:00 P.M. Sunday, January 26, 2025 at Boulger Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center, Fargo with visitation starting at 6:00 P.M.

Funeral Mass: 10:00 A.M. Monday, January 27, 2025 at Sts. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church, Fargo with visitation starting at 9:00 A.M.

Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery South, Fargo.

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center, Fargo. Online guestbook at www.boulgerfuneralhome.com.

Send a Gift in Memory of Joanne:  (Click Here)

(Please enter Joanne's name in the "Donor Comments" section of the online donation form and we will notify Joanne's family of your gift.)