Sandra Lynn McKone

Sandra (Sandy) L. McKone, age 81, of Dallas, Oregon passed away peacefully on September 30, 2024, in Salem Hospital following an infection. She managed her battle with Multiple Myeloma for several years and recently began dialysis due to end stage kidney disease.

Sandy was born to Daisy Fansler in Tacoma, WA on April 24, 1943. She grew up in Castle Rock, WA with her parents, Daisy and Charles Crowell and was the oldest of 6 children. She graduated from Castle Rock High School in 1961. She married Lowell McKone on July 28, 1962. They resided in numerous locations such as Ione, WA, and Coulee City, WA before settling in Prosser, Washington where Lowell taught school and coached sports. Sandy was a stay-at-home Mom until her kids started school. Then she began a variety of jobs such as working at Rodman’s Shoe Store in Prosser, as a dental assistant in Sunnyside, Phil’s Corner Drug in Prosser, Century 21 Real Estate in Prosser, and Yakima Federal Savings in Prosser. She found her true niche when she started working at Benton REA in the electrical engineering department. She worked at Benton REA until her retirement. She loved her job and co-workers at Benton REA. She was very proud of her employment accomplishments after having achieved only a high school diploma. She enjoyed participating in the annual Halloween costume contests that Prosser downtown businesses held and won top prize a couple of times.

Sandy enjoyed many years of being statistician for Lowell’s girls high school basketball and softball teams. She loved being in the stands and keeping track of the game action. She loved doing crossword and word search puzzles daily and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune every night. She had a knack for knowing a lot of words and their meanings. She loved to cook and at one time did catering as a side hobby. She loved to be in her kitchen but didn’t like help from anyone while she was in it cooking meals. Sandy loved to contribute to a variety of charities including cancer charities, animal charities, and humanitarian charities.

After both Lowell and Sandy retired, they moved from Prosser back to their hometown of Castle Rock where they enjoyed attending monthly high school class lunches and living near the Cowlitz River. At the start of the Covid pandemic, they moved to Dallas, Oregon to be closer to their daughter and son in law. They have enjoyed living the past few years in a nice 55+ manufactured park in Dallas.

Sandy is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Lowell McKone, of Dallas, Oregon, Son Steve (Kelly) McKone and Granddaughter Meghan McKone of Vancouver, WA, Daughter, Katie (Bruce) Rose of Dallas, Oregon. She also leaves behind her two fur babies, Scooter and Sparky who will miss her greatly. Her surviving siblings are brother, Charles (Roberta) Crowell, Kelso, WA sisters Patty Alger and Marion (Dale) Sanders, Castle Rock, WA and brother-in-law, Ron (Shirley) McKone of Florence, OR. She also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Daisy Crowell, brother Robert (Jule) Crowell, and sister Janice Schooler.

There are no services planned. Sandy will be cremated, and her ashes spread at some of her favorite places, one being the beach. The family suggests that memorials be made to a charity of your choice. Virgil T. Golden Funeral Services in Salem is handling the arrangements. The family would like to thank Dr. John Strother at Oregon Oncology for his compassion and care the past few years, Dr. Anan Tawil at Oregon Heart Center for his care and support, Kidney Care Physicians, the Salem Hospital ICU nurses as well as the comfort care unit nurses for keeping her comfortable, the nurses at Assured Home Health, and the great crew at Davita Glen Creek Dialysis Center for their excellent care.