Joanne Marie (Schildberger) Sandy

April 22, 1944 ~ January 19, 2025
Born in:
Park River, North Dakota
Resided in:
Fargo, North Dakota
Joanne’s Services will be live streamed below starting shortly before each of their services:
Prayer Service:
Funeral Mass:
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!
Services
Prayer Service - Sunday: January 26, 2025 7:00 pm
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com
Visitation - Sunday: January 26, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com
Funeral Mass - Monday: January 27, 2025 10:00 am
Sts. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church, Fargo
5202 25th St. S.
Fargo , North Dakota 58104
(701) 235-5757
https://stsaaj.org/
Visitation - Monday: January 27, 2025 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Sts. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church, Fargo
5202 25th St. S.
Fargo , North Dakota 58104
(701) 235-5757
https://stsaaj.org/
It’s still hard to picture this world without your shining smile in it but I will forever be grateful for all you have left behind. I will always hold special memories of you close to my heart. I remember fondly all of the ball games you took us to so we could watch David and Tim play baseball, encouraging us to hurry to the window to get the red T-shirts to be ball shaggers. All of the picnics and nature hikes in the “mountains” in the Conde, SD area, pretending to be the Von Trapp family, singing and spinning through those hills. I find it so amazing that now one of my sisters lives right next to those same ”mountains”. And the nighttime prayers you faithfully recited with us as you tucked us in each night when we stayed with you…followed by a scaring from David or Tim who had hidden in the closet or were out scratching on the windows. Oh how you would chew them out for scaring us right before bed. I look back on the summers we stayed with you and am truly amazed at all you did for us. How life changing it must have been to have 3 little girls invade your home, for weeks at a time. You handled it so beautifully. For some, taking on a whole other family would seem overwhelming. But never once did you lose your patience with us. You were managing your own home and family all while taking care of 3 high energy little girls and making sure we had all we needed, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Looking back I don’t know how you handled it all and stayed sane. There was never a dull moment when got to go Aunt Joannes house. You treated us as your own, allowing us to have new found friends over to your house to play, taking us to Trollwood Park, the countless ballgames, our trip to the East coast… You really were our second mom. There are so many more memories I would love to share but these are just a few that stand out in my mind. May you rest in peace in God’s eternal glory, watching over us and reminding us of all things beautiful. I love you, Joanne!
My heart breaks hearing about Joanne. She was an extra special woman. Always happy and grateful for everyone in and around her.
We always remember the many card games at our/their house in LaMoure! Many laughs and good times!
Love to all and many sympathies.
JoAnn & Les Nesvig
Tim and family. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your mother! My thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time.
Clay Whittlesey
Joanne, you were such a joy to get to know and visit with at all the kids hockey games. Our deepest sympathies go out to Jerry and your family. You will be missed greatly. Rest in Peace.
We are saddened to hear of the loss of your beautiful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and friend. As I read her obituary I recall so many of your memories and memories of my own of Joanne. We offer up our prayers and comfort as you gather together in the days to come and the years ahead!
All our love!
Jenny, Mike, Jake and Lexi, Connor and Jadyn Arel
So sad about JoAnn’s passing. May she rest in eternal peace. We were lucky enough to share family with her and Jerry when our daughter Kylee married their son Dave. Our sympathy to the entire Sandy family. Jerry and Jerry Mathistad
I have not met your mother, but I read her obituary in the Forum today, and I wish I would have. Sledding behind cars with grandchildren!!! I would have best friends with her, I am sure. Sorry for your loss.
I only recently heard about Joanne’s illness. I am so glad I had a chance to see you recently, Amy. How lovely you were able to assist with caregiving during her illness. She sounded like an amazing woman & it was so interesting to read about her life. She certainly lived a faithful & full life. I, too, smiled when reading about sledding with the grandkids behind a car! Sending up prayers during this difficult time for Wade, Amy and the entire family.
Dear Family, What a wonderful obituary you wrote on your Mom. Described her to a tee. Joanne was a lifelong friend. We raised our families together, curled together, golfed, learn how to play bridge with all the little kids running around. She was always fun to talk to…conversations could get deep but common sense and interesting. My deepest sympathy, Janice Meagher
So sorry to hear of the passing of Joanne. I got met and got to know her when she worked at Head Start with me so many years ago. She was such a joy to be around. RIP! My sympathies to Jerry and her family.
Sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
What a wonderful, active, prayerful and humbly smart woman! Enjoyed the Bible Studies and birthday parties of our group, hilarious and growing times in LaMoure. Many good memories! I doubt she will be resting on her laurels in heaven! Prayerful warrior with years of love and love ❤️
Our sincere sympathy to you Jerry,your family,and extended family. I remember Joanne very well as an excellent and very active cheer leader during my high school basketball playing years. I knew her parents well and was very good friends with her athletic brother, Albert. And of course Jerry, you and our amateur basketball playing days. Blessed be the name of Joanne Sandy.
Jerry, Paige, Perry, Wade, David, and Tim,
We recently learned of Joanne’s passing. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers in these days of mourning. Having known you all since we were neighbors in Park River, which doesn’t seem like it could have been almost 50 years ago, our paths have often crossed during the hockey seasons, and once in a while at other times of chance meetings.
Jerry, you need to know that your family is one that I’ll always remember, and respect, for the way your children were raised. I cannot think of a finer group of people than your daughter and sons. I think that it reflects on what great parents you and Joanne were to them, and now they have their own families to raise, too.
There are so many good memories of knowing the Sandy’s that it helps to remember them at a time like this.
Our love goes out to all of you and your families.
Uncle Jerry I don’t think there is much need writing about my aunt Joanne, because I know you understand how much she means to our family and me. Sorry I couldn’t be there to give you a big hug and be a part of the Sandy family get together that I can clearly imagine is happening. Love You!