Sandra Sue Ankenbauer

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Sandra Sue Ankenbauer, it summarized in every way who she was, especially as a girl from the "Show-Me State". She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Sandra was born on October 23, 1935 at Bell Memorial Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. She was the daughter of Grace Opal James and William McCullum and was raised by Granny Mickie Bell James in Kirksville, Missouri. She was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Sandra was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Sandra was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Sandra was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Sandra also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Sandra had one younger sister, Donna Kulick.

Sandra enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Sandra was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Sandra was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Kirksville High School in 1953. Sandra enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects, (particularly English) and teachers. Sandra’s memorable achievements in high school included lettering in Band and starting her lifelong care for others in a Practical Nursing program in partnership with (what is now) Truman State University and Kirksville Osteopathic Hospital.

Sandra always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments in high school and later in some college courses and required work training, seemed to be less of a burden for her. In fact, Sandra seemed to absorb and remember everything she read. Not all things came easily to Sandra, however, and she found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. She was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach her goals. She earned her Associates Degree later in life to further her career in patient support for the Air Force Medical Community.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Sandra. She was totally committed to Jim, and joined the Catholic faith as Jim was born and raised Catholic. She maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Sandra naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Sandra disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Sandra was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Sandra was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Sandra was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Sandra was blessed with five children, Teresa Sue (Patrick) Feutz, Theodore Raymond (Suzanne) Ankenbauer, Thomas Robert (Karen) Ankenbauer, Catherine Ann (Jim) Smith, and the late Mary Elizabeth Taylor (William Edward Taylor Jr.). Sandra and Jim were also blessed with fourteen grandchildren: James Feutz, Aimee Palifroni, Jonathan Ankenbauer, Alex, Zachary, Haley, and Austin Ankenbauer, Marissa Ferreira, Adam, Josh, and Noah Smith, Amber Walker, Brittany and Caitlin Taylor, and soon to be 10 great-grandchildren.

If you gave Sandra a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Sandra was always on task. Without hesitation, Sandra could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was wife and mother. She was employed at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Scott AFB, then finally at Bergstrom AFB after they retired to Austin in 1980. She worked in the office of Patient Affairs until the base closed in 1993. During that time, Sandra excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Sandra was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Sandra had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Sandra was an Air Force wife who raised 5 beautiful children and kept their home(s) during Jim's 30 year military career. She also helped mentor young military wives, ran the WIC program at the base, organized military family events, and assisted Jim in his NCO duties. She seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped her handle the rigors of the military. Through her hard work and dedication, the military took Sandra and the family all over the world from Italy, Okinawa, the Philippines, and states: Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Maine, South Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, and Texas.

Sandra liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Sandra's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Sandra preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her absolute favorite pastime was reading any and everything she could get her hands on. She joked (and many agreed!) that reading was her only vice. She passed on this passion for reading to her children and grandchildren. She also loved volunteering in different ministries at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, garage sales and bargain shopping, sewing, golfing, bowling, traveling, watching Jeopardy where she consistently answered correctly, and spending as much time as possible with her family. Sandra was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Sandra often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was involved with

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and was Regional Cookie Chair for the greater Kansas City area when Jim was stationed at Richards-Gebaur AFB. She and Jim were very involved with their children’s sports. She enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. She loved watching anything her children, grandchildren, or husband were playing or coaching.

As a woman who respected and maintained traditional values, Sandra’s Catholic faith was important to her. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She and Jim were members St. Catherine of Siena for 40+ years since the parish was founded. During that time, she served in many ways, most notably as a volunteer in community ministries. She also taught CCD (Sunday School) classes in almost every parish to which they belonged.

Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Sandra. She never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given her for her many and varied efforts throughout her life were well deserved. She was a highly valued employee where she worked and received many awards from officers for quality control and excellence.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Sandra had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included a comical trip through the Austrian Alps with the whole family in a VW bus, two trips to Germany to visit new grandbabies, and a really special 2-week trip to Ireland, Wales and England with her daughter Teresa and a small group from St. Catherine's including parish priest Father Pat Coakley.

Sandra loved dogs, especially Beagles, and had many beloved pups throughout the years: Socker (her childhood dog), Poncho, Beauty, Tandy, Lucie, and Daisy. Sandra was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

Sandra passed away on February 5, 2022 at South Austin Hospital. She is survived by her husband of almost 69 years and 4 of her 5 children. Visitation is at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park from 5:00-8:00 pm on Thursday, February 17, 2022, with a Rosary Service at 6:00 pm. A funeral Mass is to be held at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church on Friday February 18, 2022 at 10:00 am. The funeral Mass will also be live-streamed through St. Catherine’s website at www.stcatherine-austin.org (click on Watch Mass Live). Graveside service for family will be after the funeral Mass. A reception will follow at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Sandra was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Sandra was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Sandra Ankenbauer was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Sandra. She leaves a big void in the lives of her large family and she will be missed by all who knew her.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sandra Sue Ankenbauer, née James, age 86, of Austin, Texas passed away on Saturday, February 5, 2022. Sandra was born October 23, 1935 in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sandra is survived by her husband of almost 69 years, Jim Ankenbauer; her daughter Teresa Feutz (Patrick) of University Place, Washington; her son Ted Ankenbauer (Suzanne) of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida; her son Tom Ankenbauer (Karen) of Overland Park, Kansas; and her daughter Cathi Smith (Jim) of Raytown, Missouri; and her sister Donna Kulick of Simla, Colorado.

Sandra was preceded in death by her daughter Mary Taylor.

Sandra is also survived by fourteen beloved grandchildren, soon to be 10 great-grandchildren, two nieces, and countless dear family members on the Ankenbauer side.

A visitation for Sandra will be held Thursday, February 17, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749. A funeral service will occur Friday, February 18, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church which will also be live streamed on the church website, 4800 Convict Hill Road, Austin, TX 78749. A graveside service will occur Friday, February 18, 2022 at 11:30 AM, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749. A reception will immediately follow.

Serving as pallbearers are James Feutz, Jon Ankenbauer, Jeff Ankenbauer, Gil Ankenbauer, Alex Ankenbauer, Zach Ankenbauer, Tom Ankenbauer and Ted Ankenbauer.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenforestoaks.com for the Ankenbauer family.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to your favorite animal charity or rescue to continue her legacy of love for our furry friends.

Sandra Ankenbauer's Biography:

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Sandra Sue Ankenbauer, it summarized in every way who she was, especially as a girl from the "Show-Me State". She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Sandra was born on October 23, 1935 at Bell Memorial Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. She was the daughter of Grace Opal James and William McCullum and was raised by Granny Mickie Bell James in Kirksville, Missouri. She was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Sandra was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Sandra was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Sandra was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Sandra also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Sandra had one younger sister, Donna Kulick.

Sandra enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Sandra was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Sandra was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Kirksville High School in 1953. Sandra enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects, (particularly English) and teachers. Sandra’s memorable achievements in high school included lettering in Band and starting her lifelong care for others in a Practical Nursing program in partnership with (what is now) Truman State University and Kirksville Osteopathic Hospital.

Sandra always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments in high school and later in some college courses and required work training, seemed to be less of a burden for her. In fact, Sandra seemed to absorb and remember everything she read. Not all things came easily to Sandra, however, and she found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. She was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach her goals. She earned her Associates Degree later in life to further her career in patient support for the Air Force Medical Community.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Sandra. She was totally committed to Jim, and joined the Catholic faith as Jim was born and raised Catholic. She maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Sandra naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Sandra disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Sandra was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Sandra was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Sandra was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Sandra was blessed with five children, Teresa Sue (Patrick) Feutz, Theodore Raymond (Suzanne) Ankenbauer, Thomas Robert (Karen) Ankenbauer, Catherine Ann (Jim) Smith, and the late Mary Elizabeth Taylor (William Edward Taylor Jr.). Sandra and Jim were also blessed with fourteen grandchildren: James Feutz, Aimee Palifroni, Jonathan Ankenbauer, Alex, Zachary, Haley, and Austin Ankenbauer, Marissa Ferrera, Noah, Adam, and Josh Smith, Amber Walker, Brittany and Caitlin Taylor, and soon to be 10 great-grandchildren.

If you gave Sandra a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Sandra was always on task. Without hesitation, Sandra could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was wife and mother. She was employed at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Scott AFB, then finally at Bergstrom AFB after they retired to Austin in 1980. She worked in the office of Patient Affairs until the base closed in 1993. During that time, Sandra excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Sandra was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Sandra had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Sandra was an Air Force wife who raised 5 beautiful children and kept their home(s) during Jim's 30 year military career. She also helped mentor young military wives, ran the WIC program at the base, organized military family events, and assisted Jim in his NCO duties. She seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped her handle the rigors of the military. Through her hard work and dedication, the military took Sandra and the family all over the world from Italy, Okinawa, the Philippines, and states: Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Maine, South Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, and Texas.

Sandra liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Sandra's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Sandra preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her absolute favorite pastime was reading any and everything she could get her hands on. She joked (and many agreed!) that reading was her only vice. She passed on this passion for reading to her children and grandchildren. She also loved volunteering in different ministries at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, garage sales and bargain shopping, sewing, golfing, bowling, traveling, watching Jeopardy where she consistently answered correctly, and spending as much time as possible with her family. Sandra was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Sandra often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was involved with

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and was Regional Cookie Chair for the greater Kansas City area when Jim was stationed at Richards-Gebaur AFB. She and Jim were very involved with their children’s sports. She enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. She loved watching anything her children, grandchildren, or husband were playing or coaching.

As a woman who respected and maintained traditional values, Sandra’s Catholic faith was important to her. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She and Jim were members St. Catherine of Siena for 40+ years since the parish was founded. During that time, she served in many ways, most notably as a volunteer in community ministries. She also taught CCD (Sunday School) classes in almost every parish to which they belonged.

Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Sandra. She never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given her for her many and varied efforts throughout her life were well deserved. She was a highly valued employee where she worked and received many awards from officers for quality control and excellence.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Sandra had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included a comical trip through the Austrian Alps with the whole family in a VW bus, two trips to Germany to visit new grandbabies, and a really special 2-week trip to Ireland, Wales and England with her daughter Teresa and a small group from St. Catherine's including parish priest Father Pat Coakley.

Sandra loved dogs, especially Beagles, and had many beloved pups throughout the years: Socker (her childhood dog), Poncho, Beauty, Tandy, Lucie, and Daisy. Sandra was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

Sandra passed away on February 5, 2022 at South Austin Hospital. She is survived by her husband of almost 69 years and 4 of her 5 children. Visitation is at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park from 5:00-8:00 pm on Thursday, February 17, 2022, with a Rosary Service at 6:00 pm. A funeral Mass is to be held at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church on Friday February 18, 2022 at 10:00 am. The funeral Mass will also be live-streamed through St. Catherine’s website at www.stcatherine-austin.org (click on Watch Mass Live). Graveside service for family will be after the funeral Mass. A reception will follow at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Sandra was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Sandra was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Sandra Ankenbauer was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Sandra. She leaves a big void in the lives of her large family and she will be missed by all who knew her.