Obituary: Janet Lucia (Hede) Sandstrom

February 23, 1932 – October 14, 2017

WASILLA – Janet Lucia (Hede) Sandstrom, 85, went home to Jesus on the evening of Oct. 14, 2017, at her home surrounded by love and family.

A memorial service was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at Summit Worship Center, 125 W. Riley Street, Wasilla, Alaska.

She was born in Stockholm, Maine on Feb. 23, 1932, the daughter of O. Elliot and Hilma (Nelson) Hede. She was the sixth of 12 children. She graduated from Caribou High School in 1949. She married Dale Sandstrom in 1951.

Janet and Dale moved to Alaska in June of 1951 where they raised five children. Janet traveled with Dale through Alaska on various construction projects and they made home in Cordova, Anchorage and Willow until 2010 when they moved to Florida where they stayed until 2016 when they moved back to Alaska.

Janet was known for and enjoyed serving her family, friends and strangers. Cooking and baking talents were enjoyed by everyone from construction camps to church and family gatherings.

She taught her children and grandchildren the art of “Mom/Grandma’s Apple Pie.”  Her steadfast faith in God served her though her life as wife, mother, grandma and great grandma, daughter, sister, friend, pastor’s wife, realtor, construction camp worker, laundromat owner, poet, artist and reader.

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She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Dale Sandstrom of Stockholm; two sons, Michael Sandstrom and his wife, Timi, of Wasilla, and Timothy Sandstrom and his wife, Kelly, of Wasilla; three daughters, Starr Bynum and her husband, Rob, of Wasilla, Marcia Conn and her husband Ken, of Wasilla, and Polly Jackson and her husband, Jerry, of Seagrove, Fla.; a brother, Harold Hede and his wife, Andrea, of Eustis, Fla.; three sisters, Kathy Robinson and her husband, Rocky, of New Sweden, Patricia Langen and her husband, Jerry, of Old Town, and Gladys Merritt of Orono; 14 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents; six brothers, Nelson, Howard, Richard, Johnny, Daniel and Keith; and one sister, Bertha Rasmussen.

Donations can be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 8 Donworth St., Stockholm, ME 04783.

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