Sandra Lou O'Neil

Sandra "Sandy" Lou (Tietge) O'Neil, age 87, of Shoreview, MN, passed away peacefully on October 5, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Sandy was born on September 21, 1936, in Sioux Falls, SD, the first child of four of Harold and Cozy (Miller) Tietge. Mom/Gram, was the glue that held our family together for over 65 years. She had a beautiful life, loved her family deeply, and had many life-long friends with whom she kept in touch. She will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. The Tietge family moved to Eau Claire, WI in 1952 when Sandy was a sophomore in high school. Feeling quite down on her luck that first weekend in her new town, her aunt and mother convinced her to attend the "Youth Night" at First Presbyterian Church in Eau Claire. It was at this gathering that Francis "Gene" O'Neil saw who was to become his bride of over 65 years. Sandy finished high school and was accepted into the nursing training program at Macalester College in St. Paul in conjunction with Abbott Hospital in Minneapolis graduating with her RN in 1957. By this time, Gene had served his time with the US Air Force, and they were married on December 28, 1957. Sandy worked as a labor & delivery nurse while Gene attended college at UW - Eau Claire. Once he graduated in December of 1961, they moved their young family to Roseville, MN. Sandy continued her career in labor & delivery at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul for a few years before "retiring" to stay-at-home mom for the first years in Roseville, raising three boys and a girl. Designing and building the first family home in Shoreview on Nottingham Place in 1969, she and Gene would make that their home until 1983. Once the kids got older, she partnered alongside Gene at The Energy Shed, Franchise Forum, and Short-Term Furnished Housing. In her later working years, she got back to the healthcare world that she missed and spent several years in the patient quality management department at St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, MN. In her "spare time" she golfed, bowled, fished, and spent many hours at the hockey rinks and swimming pools watching her kids and grand kids. She was a founding member of a now 60 year old book club with friends, volunteered at Presbyterian Church of the Way, made world-class peanut brittle for friends & family during the holidays, and was a skilled seamstress. She also demonstrated a talent for house design building a second home in Shoreview, and a lake home on Red Cedar Lake in Birchwood, WI. She and Gene travelled the world for the past 20 years with four trips to her "adopted" homeland of Ireland, to her ancestral home country of Denmark, also South America, the "Band of Brothers" European tour, The Panama Canal, Alaska, and several other destinations. Sandy is survived by her loving husband of 65 years Francis (Gene) O'Neil; children Mike (Susanne), Steve (Christine), Dave (Betty), and Sara (Rich) Fish; grandchildren Rebecca, Katherine, Madeline, Nick, Megan, and Sandy; siblings Mike, Dennis (Mary Jo) Tietge, and Cheryl Riley. The family would like to thank the incredible staff at Our Lady of Peace Hospice for their attentive, supportive, and dignified care during the final 11 months of her battle with pancreatic cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage donations be made in Sandy's name to Our Lady of Peace Hospice, the American Cancer Society, or The Mayo Clinic Memorial Service 11 AM Friday, December 1st (visitation 10-11AM) at Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 Lexington Ave., N., Shoreview. Interment Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Tributes

Sandra Lou O'Neil

September 21, 1936 - October 5, 2023

Tributes

Sandra Lou O'Neil

September 21, 1936 - October 5, 2023

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