- Sandra Verne Olmstead, aged 78, peacefully returned to our Lord early Monday morning at her home in Mesa, AZ. Sandy was born in Lewistown, Fergus County, MT August 8, 1941 to Thomas Willis and Jessie (Mackie) Baker, Jr. She graduated from Havre Central High School then spent the next year in Fairbanks, AK with a friend from Havre Central on a Jesuit mission volunteering at the Monroe Catholic School. The mission was a time that she always looked fondly upon. December 15, 1962, she married the love of her life, Ronald E. Olmstead soon after his discharge from the US Navy. A year later, their daughter LeAnne Marie was born, and the following year their son John Michael was born. After spending several years in Havre, Helena and Bozeman, Mt, the family relocated to Alaska where they spent the next 17 years, then retired to Mesa, AZ. Sandy spent 58 years happily married to Ron.
Sandy, with the most beautiful blue eyes, was a woman of deep faith, a devout Catholic who trusted in God’s plan for her. Her love of family and friends was infectious, and she will be missed so much by all who knew her. She enjoyed traveling, reading, working on crossword puzzles, and especially spending time with her two beloved grandchildren and family. She was a huge sports fan too; her father, grandfather, and brothers all were active in sports, particularly basketball. She played in the lady’s golf league for several years during retirement. Sandy worked in the banking industry in Helena and Bozeman, MT and then in the Accounting department at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks before retiring. In her retirement, Sandy and her husband traveled extensively during the summers researching their early American history, with both family lines dating back to the early 1600’s.
Diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease during Midlife, she fought the battle for over 40 years always with a smile on her face. In a similar way she fought her way through dialysis treatments in the several years before her death. Though petite, she was mighty, never complaining or showing her pain.
Sandy is proceeded in death by her parents Tom and Jessie Baker Jr., her brother Don Baker of Lewistown, MT, brothers-in-law Bob Gaskill (Kathy), and Jim Branden (Janet) of Havre, MT.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Ron Olmstead of Mesa, her daughter LeAnne and husband Phil Murphy of Phoenix, son John and wife Louise (Jendrysik) Olmstead of Mesa, grandchildren Kevin Murphy, a recent graduate of ASU and Lauren Murphy, a student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, sisters Kathy (Jerry) Engleson and Janet (Baker) Branden, and brother Tom (Debbie) Baker III, all of Havre, MT, plus numerous nieces, nephews, and several brothers and sisters-in-laws in the Phoenix area, Montana and Washington.
Her family would like to thank the staff at Fresenius Kidney Care East Valley for the loving and compassionate care given to Sandy during her last years. A Celebration of Life will be held later in the Fall.
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