Sandra Kay Cooper.
– You’d think that someone who routinely introduced herself as “Dandy Sandy who likes candy” would be known first and foremost for her sweet allure.
You’d be wrong.
This Sandy is better described as a woman of the spitfire variety, a tangle of spice and spunk poured into a teeny little frame. A woman not to be messed with, nor forgotten.
Sandra Kay Cooper, 84, went to be with Jesus on Oct. 26, 2024. The family she leaves behind suspects that her biggest regret was not fulfilling her oft-stated goal of outliving her husband, David Lee Cooper, and spending his every last dime.
Though it took an eye well-trained to look past the frequent jabs she tossed his way, Sandy’s love for the man who stole her heart when she was just a girl was incontestable. They met while working at the local theater and had their first date under the Friday night lights of a small-town football game. On a warm day in the summer of ‘57, they exchanged vows and went on to stick it out for sixty-seven bicker-filled years.
When the stroke stole Sandy’s ability to clearly speak, she relied instead on a pen to deliver, in shaky handwriting, the astute observation that “most men think only of their own needs.” This elicited laughs from everyone in the room, except, of course, from Dave, who has long been resigned to Sandy’s taunts.
She put on a good front, but despite her best efforts, her devotion to him showed through. In fact, though she might not relish the thought, one of the final videos of her life depicts her reaching for the familiar hand of her husband, holding it over her heart, and gently stroking his fingers. Turns out, death truly was the only force strong enough to part them after all.
Traditionalists should avoid doing the math here but Dave and Sandy’s love multiplied not once but twice in 1958 when in January they welcomed Michelle Lea (Tim) and again in December when Sharon Lynn arrived to complete the couples’ set of Irish twins as well as the immediate Cooper family. Just about every picture from that era delivers proof positive that Sandy was both a talented seamstress and doting mother.
Even after successfully raising her own two daughters, Sandy kept right on giving care to those she loved. Grandchildren Darcie (Jeff), Aaron, and Lucas (Linsey) spent countless childhood weekends being spoiled rotten by all the Uno games they could play and Taco Bell after church. So, too, did Sandy meaningfully invest in the lives of her nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. She changed diapers, attended school and sporting events, and sent cash folded into Origami hearts.
Sandy also leaves behind a sister, Roseanne (Ralph), and brother, Dean (Lou). She will be dearly missed by several nieces, friends and neighbors.
Yes, she was both employed outside the home and served in various volunteer roles. Some of those details will follow (if only for record), but Sandy’s true legacy lies in loving her people wholly and well. There was the time that her third great-granddaughter was found to have Down syndrome at birth and Sandy jumped on the next cross-country flight to help in whatever way she could.
She slept on a stiff couch beneath the harsh fluorescent lights of a hospital lobby when, years later, that same great-granddaughter was admitted for croup and pneumonia. And then, when her grandson-in-law deployed to Iraq, Sandy hopped another flight to help see the family through that difficult departure. Bathing kids or reading stories or folding laundry–no matter the distance and no matter the cost, she could always be counted upon to presently and quietly fill a deep need in the darkest hours.
With the exception of her annual birthday margarita, Sandy loudly and proudly lived the teetotaler life. To her chagrin, she was the only one among us. She tried like hell (imagine that last word whispered because she only cussed in whispers) to keep the rest of our livers in good working order, and was often exasperated by our quick willingness to raise a toast. In light of that, and to honor her memory, when we pour a little out for her, you can rest assured it will always be Diet Coke.
Best described as the most sacrificial person we’ve ever known, she modeled humility and strength, grace and truth. We know enough to gratefully count our time with her as a blessing and give thanks for her long and meaningful life, but already we feel lost without her.
Let there be no doubt that she walks in step with the Author and Perfecter of the faith she professed. That, together with our imagined renderings of the moment she met her Saviour face-to-face and reunited with her beloved daughter (Sharon) and grandson (Aaron), eases the profound heartbreak of losing her here on Earth.
We promised these details, too:
Sandy was a lifelong Lutheran and served several churches in various capacities over the years. Of note, her active involvement in the LWML, her leadership in organizing and overseeing the annual bazaar and role in helping print and bind braille Bibles at Trinity Lutheran Church in Paso Robles, California. Sandy and Dave made a home on ten acres in Templeton, where they lived for more than 25 years.
Together, Dave and Sandy delivered a mean Docey-doe on the square dance floor and enjoyed years of social campouts in their Bounder “rig.” Sandy also performed clog dancing at local events and briefly studied American Sign Language at Cuesta Community College, which she practiced whenever given the chance. She loved See’s Candy, cherished her prized scrapbooks, and spent countless hours playing Suduko. Up to the very end, Sandy kept beautifully manicured finger and toenails, both of which elicited compliments from the staff who provided excellent care during her final days.
A celebration of life will be held on Nov. 12, 2024, at 2:30 pm at 175 E Calderwood Dr, Meridian, Idaho.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Christ Lutheran Church, in Meridian, Idaho, are sincerely appreciated.
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