Sandra Kay Smith, the daughter of Wayne A. and Lillian F. (Jensen) Kopeska, was born in Carroll, IA, on July 19, 1944, and died Dec. 29, 2023, at CHI Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, NE., at the age of 79 years, five months and ten days.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 on Monday, February 26, 2024, at First Lutheran Church North Branch, 1434 N 30th Rd., Avoca, NE. Graveside services will be conducted by Rev. Karen Tjarks at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon, IA, on February 27, 2024, at 11 a.m. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa, is responsible for the arrangements.
Sandy grew up on the family farm in Guthrie County, just a few miles north of the little town of Wichita. She helped her parents on the farm and also helped take care of her disabled brother, Wayne Arthur. She was baptized with several of her younger cousins on November 20, 1951, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, IA. Sandy attended the one-room schoolhouse, Seeley No. 3, down the hill from her family home. When the county closed the rural schools, all those students transferred to Bayard Community School. She began the 4th grade at Bayard and finished grade school and high school there, graduating with the Class of 1962. She was active in instrumental and vocal music in high school and journalism. She played the French horn in the band and the brass quintet. Following graduation, she moved to Omaha, NE., where she attended Commercial Extension School of Commerce, graduating in 1964 with a degree in Business Administration.
On Oct. 11, 1969, she married Don Smith, welcoming his two daughters, Wendy and Sandy, to her family. They bought a home in Weeping Water, NE. Later, she moved to a duplex in Weeping Water when caring for the home and grounds became too difficult. She held several jobs, including Dokters Trucking, part-time cleaning offices, and the school in Manley, NE., while working full time, and finished her accounting career of 39 years at Ash Grove Cement Company in Louisville, Neb., retiring in 2017.
Sandy was an active member of the First Lutheran Church in rural Avoca, Neb. Over the years, she held several offices in the women’s organization, including a state representative. For several years, she served on the church board, planned, prepared, and served meals to the confirmation class, and coordinated meals for special events at the church. She had a gift of sending cards to family, neighbors, and friends for every occasion and every season. She loved to travel with her group of friends, visiting several states, including the highlight of traveling to Alaska. They traveled abroad to England, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Wales, and Ireland.
Preceding her in death were her parents, her brother, Wayne Arthur, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Survivors include her daughters, Wendy (Robert) Trinh, of San Jose, CA., and Sandy (Jim) Kluver of Bronson, IA; her grandchildren: Jamie Kluver of Lincoln, NE.; Kyle (Sarah) Trinh and Briana (Giovanni) Hernandez of Gilroy, CA., her great-grandchildren: Landon, Hailey, Liam and Luca of Gilroy, Calif.; numerous cousins; her good friends: Jayne Fredrickson of Columbus, NE., Jim and Ressa Patton of Weeping Water, Rev. Karen (Rev. Steve) Tjarks of York, NE., Margaret (Mick) Jacobsen of Avoca, NE., other relatives and many friends.
A Celebration of Life services will be held at 10:30 Monday, February 26, 2024, at First Lutheran Church North Branch, 1434 N 30th Rd., Avoca, NE. Graveside services will be conducted by Rev. Karen Tjarks at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon, IA, on February 27, 2024, at 11 a.m.
Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa is in charge of the arrangements.
