Sandra S. Shanfelt's Obituary
Sandra Shanfelt (nee Stafford)
(March 4, 1942 - December 14, 2023)
Sandy Shanfelt, age 81, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2023. She was the loving and devoted wife of John for 62 years and the loving and supportive mother of Pete (Denae) and Pat (Judy). She was a wonderfully sweet grandma to Steven (Beckie) and Sara (Chris) and a very loving great-grandma to Calvin, David, and Hailey. She was a cherished sister of the late Ed Stafford (Evie), Karen Hedden (Dave), Ken Stafford (Gail), and Lorna Stafford; a cherished aunt of many; and a friend to all.
Sandy was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1942. She was the second of five children born to Russell and Lois Stafford. She was a preacher’s daughter, and times were hard as she grew up. She learned to sew at a very young age because she did not like hand-me-down clothes. At age 10, she made a lovely skating dress for herself and her two sisters on a treadle sewing machine. She always loved music, and she had perfect pitch. She learned to play piano around age 6. She loved to improvise on the keyboard with partners. Music and sewing became lifelong passions.
In 1960, Sandy graduated from high school, and she began college at Ohio State University. Her plans changed after she met the dashing John Shanfelt. They joked that they actually met at a motel, but that was because Sandy was living on-site with the motel owners. As a dating couple, Sandy and John enjoyed bowling and square dancing. They married in 1961, in a double wedding with Sandy’s brother Ed, and his wife, while the dual Reverend Staffords (her father & her uncle Willis) officiated.
Sandy and John lived in Fremont, Ohio, during the early years of their marriage, and they welcomed their son, Pete, in 1964. The young family soon moved to Chicago where their son, Pat, was born in 1966. Due to John’s job transfers, the family moved a number of times before settling in North Royalton in 1974. Throughout their married life, Sandy and John, were active members in a local church where they became involved in Couple’s Groups. Many of their lifelong friends were first met in these groups. As a devoted Christian woman, Sandy also enjoyed participating in regular Bible Studies. Once the boys were grown, Sandy and John enjoyed traveling around the world via cruises to Panama, Europe, Australia, Alaska, and the Bahamas.
Sandy held a number of jobs throughout her life. She was a full-time homemaker when her boys were young. She did some part time work as a yoga instructor at a local YMCA, and she was also a sewing instructor for Stretch & Sew. She transitioned to full time work as a legal secretary for a law office in downtown Cleveland where she worked for a number of years. Later she spent several years as an office administrator at John’s company which was followed by thirteen years as the church secretary at the United Methodist church in North Royalton.
In 1988, Sandy became a grandma for the first time. She was an incredibly loving, hands-on grandma. She loved spending time with Steven and Sara during their childhood and youth. Eventually Sandy became a great grandma in 2013, and she was delighted with the addition of Calvin, David, and Hailey.
She will be forever missed as a gentle, loving, supportive wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.
Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, December 23, at 10:30 AM, at the Strongsville United Methodist Church at 13500 Royalton Road, Strongsville, Ohio 44136. A light luncheon will be provided following the service, and all are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Strongsville United Methodist Church, Blue Bus Ministry, which provides care and meals to the homeless in the area.
To send an online condolence, please visit www.dovinreberjones.com.
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