LeSandra J. Wheeler

LeSandra Judy Wheeler, born December 14, 1942, in La Crosse to John N. (Jack) and Lilah (Brenengen) Johnson, where they lived on a farm in Stensven Coulee. She graduated High School from Galesville-Ettrick in 1961.
As a child, she suffered two bouts of Rheumatic fever, being bed-ridden for weeks at a time. In her teens, while still in high school, Sandy met her future husband, Terry, outside of the theater in Blair after watching a movie. Their first meeting resulted in a late-night car ride and hunting for watermelon.
Sandy and Terry were married January 26, 1963, a very cold and snowy day, at Living Hope Church in Ettrick. Terry and Sandy worked together at ETCO in Ettrick. She later worked at the Blair Lefse Co. Their first-born son, Tim, arrived June 27, 1964. Sandy started at the Midtown Cafe in 1968, in Blair, which she ran until 1978, when she sold it to Amy Tenneson. Their youngest (and last) son, Jon, was born May 1, 1974.
Sometime later, Sandy started at Grand View Care Center where she managed the Dietary/Kitchen Department for 18 years. Sandy retired from GVCC at 60 years of age, having worked there from 1984–2002. Sandy served on the Blair City Council for a term and a half. She was particularly happy to have been on the city council when the City Hall was saved and remodeled.
She was also involved in MNC and was a past president. Sandy ran the Blair Cheese Fest parade for many years. Sandy further enjoyed being a member of MA & PA Bowling, the welcoming committee at the church and she served at the annual Lutefisk dinner. Sandy and Linda Nereng started the Christmas “2nd St. Lighting” which lit the streets with the glow of candle lights and grew into the whole town with many-valued helpers, continuing the tradition today!
Sandy and the MNC started the Blair flower beautification project, hanging flower pots in the Blair business district, later she continued to run it with the help of Terry for years. You would often see them in the truck and trailer, watering the plants in the early morning hours.
Sandy made every effort to beautify her yard with many flowers, trees and landscaping, including a large pond. The floral abundance created a haven for birds of which she was so fond.
Tim and Julie got married in 1985. Not long after, Jon and Amy married in 1998, a union producing two beautiful granddaughters: Madison, in 2004, and Nora, in 2010. Sandy enjoyed very much in being a grandmother. She also enjoyed the company of several pets, most noteworthy was a Pomeranian named Buffer, and in later years, she had four Shih Tzu: Buttons, Bow, Tinkerbell and Lucy.
Sandy and Terry enjoyed going to Florida for the winter in their RV, making even more friends than they already had.
Sandy is survived by her devoted husband, Terry; sons: Tim & Jon with their wives Julie (Tranberg) & Amy (Brueggen); granddaughters: Madison and Nora; her sisters and brothers: Jerome and Deanna (Salmonson) Johnson of Ettrick, Bernie and Linda Byrne of Ettrick, George and Laurie Knutson of Black River Falls, Joey and Audra (Quarne) Johnson of Ettrick; and brother-in-law, Burton Wheeler, of Evansville.
Sandy was preceded in death by her parents: Jack and Lilah Johnson; in-laws: Archie and Teresa (Kindschy) Wheeler and sisters-in-law, Donna (Stensven) Wheeler & Carol (Klimek) Johnson.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 11:00 a.m., at Blair Lutheran Parish (West Building) in Blair.
Visitation was held Tuesday, February 18, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., at Blair Lutheran (West Building). Burial at Zion Lutheran Cemetery will follow the funeral service.
Kratz Funeral Home-Portage (www.kratzfuneral
home.com) is assisting the family with arrangements.