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Sandra Joy Jennings passed away with her family by her side on Monday, November 21, 2011 at St. Luke's Hospital in Meridian. She was 67.
In 1976, expecting their third child, Sandy “encouraged” Jim to leave his Century City, California law practice and move out of the big city to raise their family. In Santa Maria, CA, Sandy and Jim raised four children: Susan, James, Kathryn, and Andrew. Jim secured a position as Head Deputy Public Defender and within three years was elected to the bench. Although a career-minded woman, Sandy devoted her time in raising her children and making a comfortable home. In 2004, Sandy and Jim retired to Eagle, Idaho, to be near the new residences of three of their four children. Over the course of her life in Santa Maria, Sandy served as an English language tutor for Jack Buchanan's program at the Santa Maria Library. Along with Linda and Mike Ortega, Carol and Bob Rogers, and others, she formed discussion/committee groups which eventually evolved into the Santa Barbara County Child Protection Council. She is a past-president of the Womens' Shelter Society of Santa Barbara County and helped provide the first North County shelter. After her fourth child reached school age, she finished her education and graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with honors. Since 2009, she underwent various modalities and chemical trials for treatment of pancreatic cancer. Her family is both thankful and grateful to the staff of St. Luke's who were both highly professional, sensitive, and compassionate during her care. Sandy finally succumbed to pneumonia on November 21, 2011, at St Luke's Critical Care Unit in Meridian, Idaho. Sandy is survived by her husband of 46 years, James; her daughters Susan Jennings Sutton and Kathryn Jennings Shields; her sons James Jennings and Andrew Jennings; her daughter-in-law Sara Bendele Jennings; her sons-in-law Matt Sutton and Brian Shields; and her beloved grandchildren Shannon Holt, Zachary Sutton, Elizabeth Sutton, Julia Jennings, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews in Wisconsin. Her life motto was: “eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it,” from A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean. Therefore, her ashes will join the river. Funeral and burial will be a private affair. Family and friends will hold a memorial penny-slot-machine tournament next spring at Cactus Pete's Hotel and Casino in Jackpot, Nevada. Remembrances may be left for the family at www.AccentFuneral.com. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian. Condolences:Sender's Name: Susan Wagner Nissim Sender's Name: mike miller Sender's Name: Teri Tognazzini Sender's Name: Doug & Ann Laggren Sender's Name: Araki-Kawaguchis Sender's Name: Joyce Von Arx Sender's Name: Rebecca (Windy) Borjas Sender's Name: Carolyn Shouse Sender's Name: IKU Sender's Name: Samuel Hanes Sender's Name: Ernie DeGasparis Sender's Name: Judy Goetz Sender's Name: Gene and Sue Huseman Sender's Name: Jeanne & Neil McBratney Sender's Name: Bob and Pat Rogers
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Sandra (nee Van De Wall), was born December 13, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Wordes Van De Wall and Gladys Van De Wall, nee Hesslink. Her parents were born in Oostburg, Wisconsin to immigrants from Holland. She was raised in Madison, attended West High School and the University of Wisconsin. When she was 20, Sandy and three friends went to California in the middle of the winter to discover what life held for them. Within a year, she met her future husband, Jim, in Manhattan Beach, CA. They married in Park City, Utah on January 23, 1965 and settled in Los Angeles where Jim attended Loyola University of Los Angeles School of Law and Sandy worked as a secretary to support them.