LOIS SANDSMARK's Obituary
Lois Elaine (Koeppe) Sandsmark, 91, passed away February 20, 2018 of natural causes. Lois was born Sept. 27, 1926, on a farm near Claire City, South Dakota. She was the eldest child of Nilda and Fred Koeppe. Lois had four brothers and sisters: Marlys (Marv Weispfenning), Myron (Betty) Koeppe, Phyllis (Hermann Lentz) and Dean (Elaine) Koeppe, whose families still live in the Midwest.Lois graduated from high school at age 16 and from Northern State Teachers College (now Northern State University) in Aberdeen, South Dakota at 17. Her teaching career began at age 18 in South Dakota, in the same schoolhouse from which she had graduated two years earlier. In 1948 she married Hardy Sandsmark, also of Claire City. They moved to California and became charter members of Epiphany Lutheran Church in San Leandro.Lois taught elementary school for 40 years in the Hayward Unified School District. She completed her California teaching credential by taking night and weekend classes at San Francisco State University while teaching by day. She taught at Fairview and Kimball schools, and completed her teaching career at Baywood Elementary School. The site of this school later became Baywood Court Retirement Community, where Lois was a resident since 2010.Lois and Hardy were worldwide travelers, especially after retirement. They were married 51 years, until Hardy’s death in 2000. They are survived by their three children, Linda (Paul Bouchard), Michael (Carol) and Fred (Angela Brassinga), grandchildren Nicole, Jennifer and Michelle Sandsmark, Mark and Jeffrey Bouchard, Andrew Brassinga, and many relatives and dear friends. She was predeceased by her husband Hardy, sister Marlys, daughter-in-law Jane Sandsmark, and Ed Sommer.A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 11:45 a.m. at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 16248 Carolyn St., San Leandro, CA 94578. Burial will be private. Memorial gifts may be sent to Women of Epiphany Lutheran Church (WELCA) at the above address.
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