Harold "Sandy" Severin Sandahl, III

It is with heavy hearts that we bring you the first ever Suitable for Framing Sandahl Family Obituary. If you don't understand that reference, then you were not on the mailing list for the Suitable for Framing Sandahl Family Christmas Letter-something our dad, Sandy Sandahl, wrote each... well, most years. This year, Calli and Beth are stepping in to reprise the role. We will do our best, but expectations should be managed. If you are not in the mood for at least a small smile, you may be reading the wrong obituary. Let's get the formalities out of the way. Harold Severin Sandahl III-known to friends and family as Sandy, Dad, Daddy, Papa, and occasionally "that old man over there"-passed away peacefully at home on April 20, 2026, after a short, yet arduous battle with cancer. Now, it turns out writing an obituary is harder than it looks. Especially one that isn't exactly like all the others. And if we're being honest, we don't quite have it in us to produce a beautifully polished summary of Sandy's life. So, like he would have done, we'll stick to the highlights. Sandy was born on Good Friday, April 4, 1958, in Des Moines, Iowa, where he grew up with his parents and older sister, Sheri. At 17, Sandy welcomed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and from that point on, he didn't waver. Years later, when discussing retirement, his wife, Sherry, asked what he planned to do with all his free time, noting (correctly) that he didn't really have hobbies. Sandy's response: "I'll volunteer for Valley Church and spread His love." And he meant it. Before that, his hobbies included biking, sailing, and swimming. The sailboat was eventually sold to buy an engagement ring, which, in his opinion, was a good trade. The bike stuck around and became a central part of time spent with his kids. Golf, fixing cars, and most organized sports never really made the list; his kids were his passion. He also played bongos in a band once. And yes, he would want it clearly stated: it was one time. Sandy met his wife, Sherry, in the summer of 1983 after SENIOM SED days at Gringo's (which is now no longer Gringo's). He claimed he fell in love with her immediately, though he did take the time to go home, shower, and change shirts before tracking her down later that night at Gambit's (also no longer Gambit's). A strong start to what would become more than 40 years together. Together they raised four children: Sweet Pea (Bethanie Marie-Beth, Beth Anna, B, his best birthday gift ever), Tiger (Harold IV-Chip, Chipper, The Heir), Princess (McKayla Margaret-Calli, Mags), and Pumpkin (Samatha Emmalee- Samantha, Sami). And then came one of his greatest roles-being Papa. His granddaughter Hailey, known to him as "Lily-Pop," had him completely wrapped around her finger. Whether it was visits, phone calls, or just hearing about what she was up to, she was a bright spot in his life and one of the few people who could consistently out-negotiate him. Author's note: those nicknames are reserved exclusively for Sandy. You may proceed with Beth, Chip, Calli, Sami, and Hailey. This is not a suggestion. Somewhere along the way, Sandy served on the Des Moines School Board (1995-2000), including a term as president, which meant he spent a lot of time in meetings. But he would make it home for dinner and tuck his kids in with a book, a prayer, and kiss. Professionally, Sandy worked in refrigeration. And, ever the humble man, we don't really know much beyond that. We do know he would often drag his family to the grocery store on vacations-not because we needed groceries, but so he could inspect the freezer aisles for secrets. We are also learning that he was very well respected in his field and will be missed by many in the industry. Sandy didn't know what he wanted to do after graduating from Hoover High School in 1976, so his Dad said Monday morning march yourself down and sign up at the Pipefitters Union. After 4 years and becoming a journeyman he then decided to go to college-first at Iowa State, then North Dakota State-to earn his degree in engineering.. After graduation he went on to work for Taylor Industries back when Hy-Vee was still figuring itself out, and around 2000 decided it was time for a change, and moved the entire family from Des Moines to Savage, Minnesota for an opportunity to establish the refrigeration engineering department with Target Corporate. Reviews of this decision were mixed at the time. Somewhere along the way he also earned his MBA from Augsburg College in Minneapolis. He didn't make a big deal about it, so we won't either. He left Target and went on to Amazon in Seattle, and later H-E-B in San Antonio. Notably, he only relocated Sherry for the Seattle and Texas chapters, which she handled with the patience you would expect. In between all of that, there were countless trips, visits, phone calls, projects, and moments that don't fit neatly into an obituary but somehow feel like the main story. We're not entirely sure how to end this. He was usually better at that part. So we'll keep it simple. If there is anything to take from Sandy's life, it's this: show up for your people, keep your faith, say what needs to be said (even if it's slightly inappropriate), and don't wait too long to send the letter. Thank you for loving him, and for loving us. Now for more traditional stuff. Sandy was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Severin Sandahl Jr. and Clara Jean Sandahl; and two of the best dogs ever, Dakota and Bella. He is survived by his beloved wife, Sherry; his four children, Beth, Chip (Erica Miranda), Calli (Dan Gill), and Sami (Dylan Conner); his granddaughter, Hailey; his sister, Sheri Mahnke; Eleanor the puppy, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended relatives; and several non-biological children he proudly claimed as his own (looking at you, Morgan). A short funeral service will be held at Valley Church, 4343 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265, at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 29. Following the service, all are invited to Christopher's, 2816 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310 for a reception from 3:30-6:30 pm, which is where the real fun will be. Attendees are encouraged to wear bright colors or Hawaiian shirts to the reception. Wear what you want to the service. In lieu of flowers, condolences may be sent in the form of DoorDash credits, Amazon gift cards, or cash to Sherry Sandahl. That is a joke. In actuality, use your money to spend time with your family. It's what Sandy would have wanted. Thanks. Bye.

Harold "Sandy" Severin Sandahl, III

April 4, 1958 - April 20, 2026

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