Sandra Joan Kristensen

Sandra Joan Kristensen, the daughter of Arnold John Henry and Mayme Marie (Christensen) Jacobs, was born January 3, 1944, in Carroll, Iowa and died September 10, 2022, at the Dunklau Gardens Short Term Rehabilitation in Fremont, Nebraska at the age of 78 years, 8 months, and 7 days.

Sandy was baptized and confirmed at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn, Iowa. She attended rural schools then graduated from the Elk Horn-Kimballton High School with the Class of 1962. Sandy studied at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Consumer Science. She accepted a teaching position in Horton, Kansas and along with teaching she obtained her Master’s Degree in Family and Consumer’s Science from Kansas State University. Sandy taught for three years in Horton, then accepted a position with the Audubon Community Schools teaching Home Economics.

On July 4, 1974. She was united in marriage to Donald E. Kristensen in Omaha, Nebraska. They were blessed with one daughter Kari who blended into to Don’s family of four children. Sandy continued teaching and coaching basketball and cheerleading. She was the Junior Class Sponsor and helped to develop the themes for the Junior-Senior Prom each year and also was the Sponsor of the yearbook. Don died October 14, 2004. Sandy continued teaching retiring in 2009 after teaching for over 43 years. In 2011 she moved to Blair, Nebraska to be closer to her daughter Kari and her children.

Sandy was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. She served on the church Board and the LCMC Heartland District Board. Sandy was in charge of the vendors when RAGBRAI came through town. She enjoyed quilting and scrapbooking. But her greatest passion was spending time with her grandchildren and being involved with all their activities.

Preceding her in death was her husband Donald E. “Coach K” Kristensen; her grandson Jesse Kristensen; her parents Arnold and Mayme Jacobs; and her mother-in-law and father-in-law Ernest and Wilma Kristensen.

Survivors include her children Kari and husband Ben Huenink of Blair, Nebraska; Toni Kristensen and husband Rick DeFreez of Azalea, Oregon, Vicki and husband Rick Shaver of Jacksonville, Florida, Clay and wife Tracy Kristensen of Omaha, Nebraska, and Dean and wife Bonnie Kristensen of Bellevue, Nebraska; her daughter-in-law Glena Kristensen of Washington, State; her grandchildren Lillian, Hannah, and Olivia Huenink of Blair, Nebraska, Daniel, Amanda, and Megan and Bo, Lauren, and Ryan; 11 great grandchildren; her brother Steven and wife Joanne Jacobs of Marne, Iowa; her long-time friend Homer Pederson of Topeka, Kansas; many cousins, other relatives and many friends.

The family will meet with friends on Thursday evening, September 15, 2022, from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Lori Shannon on Friday morning September 16, 2022, at 10:30 A.M. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. Interment will be in the Arlington Heights Cemetery in Audubon. The Honorary casket bearers will be the “Class of 1962”. The casket bearers will be Eric Traeger, Tom Rasmussen, Randy Spies. Monte Riebhoff, Tony Konkler, and Jerry Roy.