Sandra Jean ‘Sandi’ Spencer

Sandi was born Sept. 15, 1953, in Bay City, Mich., to Robert and Melba (Sprunger) Colestock. She grew up and attended school there. 

Later, Sandi moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. where she attended college and worked as a nurse’s aide. It was there she met Ron Spencer; the two married  Oct. 10, 1976, in Grand Haven, Mich. They would live in Alaska and Michigan before settling in Brookings in 1978. 

When Sandi wasn’t at home taking care of their two sons she worked alongside Ron as office manager and bookkeeper in their businesses: Ron Spencer Constructions, Spenco Doors and Highway 101 Storage. Sandi and Ron enjoyed camping, bicycling and playing on the beach. Later their hobbies included riding their ATVs on the Oregon dunes; then using their ski boat in Oregon, California and even two trips to Lake Havasu, in Arizona. For Sandi, though, the culmination of these motorized hobbies came in 2004 when she learned to ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle. She and Ron enjoyed many trips on their bikes.

Sandi also designed and made handcrafted greeting and holiday cards that she would send to family and friends every year.

May 14, 2008, was a special day for Sandi with the birth of her granddaughter, Ava Lynn Spencer. “Nana,” as Sandi was known, was especially proud of Ava and was always there to help and care for her.

Sandi leaves behind Ron, her husband of 34 years, of Brookings; son and daughter-in-law Gabe and Lindsey Spencer, and their daughter Ava, of Cloverdale, Calif.; father Robert Colestock of Bay City, Mich.; brothers Mark Colestock and Corey Colestock, both of Minnesota; sister Gwen Shaver who, in 2001, flew from Peru to Oregon Health and Science Hospital  to donate a kidney to Sandi. 

Sandi was preceded in death by her son Paul Nelson Spencer in 2002 and her mother.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation, 8330 Ward Parkway, Suite 510, Kansas City, MO 64114-2000.

Viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today (July 20), at Redwood Memorial Chapel, 1020 Fifield St. 

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 21, at Brookings Seventh-day Adventist Church, 102 Park Ave. in Brookings. A luncheon will follow. Private interment will be at W. J. Ward Memorial Cemetery in Brookings.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.redwoodmemorial.net.

Submitted by Redwood Memorial Chapel.