Sandra Lynn Stansky was born on May 23, 1940, to the former Charlotte Stephens and Ray Stansky. She had an older sister, Pat, who predeceased her by a number of years. She grew up on the east side of Cleveland, and lived with her mother, sister, and grandmother, after her father left the family.
After high school she held mainly office jobs, working for 31 years for the Cuyahoga Auditor as a keypunch operator, a now-obsolete job whereby information was typed or "punched" into a machine which created cards which we then fed into machines which preceded computers by a few years. It was while at this job that she met Joyce Everard, right on Public Square! They began a friendship which has lasted many years. Joyce says that they were as close as sisters, since Sandy's sister Pat had married and moved away.
It was soon thereafter that Sandy decided to move to the west side. She lived first of all in the Regency Towers, where she met Rose Kaul. Rose told her about a small, friendly church she attended, and invited Sandy to attend with her one Sunday morning. And that was how Sandy cane to Parma Christian Church! She soon joined the choir, where her beautiful soprano voice added much to the choir's Sunday morning performances. After she retired, she also sang with a group of retired Parma residents who visited nursing homes and gave programs.
Always somewhat artistic, she enjoyed sketching animals from life or from photographs. She also enjoyed coloring, the more complicated the design the better. In fact, for a time she even spearheaded and led a group of adults who met at the church for weekly coloring sessions.
A fall against a concrete pillar in front of her doctor's office building led to shoulder replacement surgery, which took a lot of rehabilitation, but Sandy came through it. (In fact, she had the surgery right on her birthday, which was a heck of a way to celebrate!) As she aged her reflexes slowed, so she gave up her car and was forced to depend on others for transportation. A number of church people picked her up for choir practice, Sunday service, etc. Her good friend Barb Orndoff, who also lived in Sandy's most recent apartment building, always accompanied her to doctor's appointments. Friends took her grocery shopping each week. She was well-loved and well-cared for.
As time went by, confusion and fear took over her life, until she could no longer take care of herself or live alone. So she went to Parma Care Center on Broadview Road, not very far from her apartment, where she colored and watched TV to her heart's content. A fall resulted in a fractured hip, which required hip replacement surgery. She started to bounce back from the surgery, even exercising in the Center's therapy unit. But then an infection set in, and more surgery was necessary. This took place on November 10, and she never recovered. Her suffering ended on the morning of November 27.
She has no relatives in the northern Ohio area. She leaves a nephew, Norman Lucas, who lives in Higginsville, Missouri, a niece Karen Lucas, of Madison, Wisconsin, and another niece, Anne Lucas, of Cody, Wyoming.
A memorial service will be held for Sandy at Parma Christian Church 7000 Ridge Road, Parma, on Sunday, December 10 at 2 p.m. Arrangements were handled by Zabor Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, a donation to your favorite charity is recommended.