ROGER’s Obituary Roger D. Sandstrom, age 88, resident of Sturgeon Lake, MN, left this world to join his Savior on Saturday, February 23, 2019. Roger was born June 24, 1930, in St. Paul, MN, to Edgar and Hazel (Young) Sandstrom. His family moved around the state for his father’s career, before returning to Minneapolis, where Roger graduated from West High School, in 1948.
After graduation, he joined the National Guard and was activated into the US Army in 1951. Roger was deployed to North Korea shortly after training and served our country during the years of 1951-52, as an artillery-battery crew chief. After an honorable discharge, he returned home and was introduced to Susan Jobes, on a blind date in Minneapolis.
They were married on August 14, 1954, at Joyce Methodist Church, in Minneapolis. Together, they raised four children in their home on Emerson Ave. , in south Minneapolis and their lake-home on Sturgeon Lake.
He spent much of his life working in wholesale industrial tool sales. He finished his career with 20 years at W.W. Grainger, in Duluth, before retiring in 1992. Roger and Susan relocated their family to their lake-home, nestled in virgin white pines, on the eastern shore of Sturgeon Lake, in 1972, becoming the fourth generation to live on the land between Johnson Lake and Sturgeon Lake, which had originally been settled by his great-grandfather, in 1892.
He was an active member of the Sturgeon Lake/Denham American Legion Post #361, participating in color guard ceremonies, memorials and various community events. Roger’s life passion was his family. He loved spending time fishing and hunting with them, and helping build or improve their family homes.
He taught every generation of young children in the family how to fish. He faithfully cheered for his children and grandchildren in various school sports programs and he remained a diehard MLWR Rebels football fan, for over 45 years. In his later years, nothing delighted him more than watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up – he was truly loved and adored by all of them.
An avid outdoorsman, Roger enjoyed hunting and fishing in Minnesota, Canada and Alaska. He traveled to Alaska for 36 consecutive years, in pursuit of salmon, halibut, trout, grayling and moose. He was a lifelong sports enthusiast, enjoying Vikings, Twins and Gopher games.
Roger also mastered the art of baking, his specialty was apple and blueberry pies, using wild blueberries he picked himself. Whether it was banana bread, warm pies, salmon, or fresh fish out of the lake, which he meticulously filleted, Roger loved to share his bounty with neighbors, widows, family and friends. Roger’s memory will be cherished by his wife of 64 years, Susan Sandstrom, of Sturgeon Lake, MN; children: Scott (Karen) Sandstrom of Lake Elmo, MN, Jim (Dianna) Sandstrom of Sturgeon Lake, MN; Jerry (Melanie) Sandstrom, of Anchorage, AK, and Heidi (Darren) Straub, of New London, MN; grandchildren: Kevin (Rachel) Sandstrom, Kassia (Jerry) Fortuna, Steven (Kelly) Sandstrom, Noelle (Seth) Nielsen, Sandra (Andrew) Schultz, Roger (Beth) Sandstrom, Julie (Josh) Semeraro, Joseph Sandstrom, Allyson Straub and Andrew Straub; plus 15 great-grandchildren; nieces: Luanne Glynn and Karen White; and nephews: Roger Sandstrom and Joel Sandstrom.
Roger is preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Hazel; brother, Gerald Sandstrom; sister, Lois Aylesworth; and nephew, Jim Aylesworth. Roger passed away peacefully in his sleep, at home attended by family. A special thanks to the staff and caregivers at St. Croix Hospice, for their exceptional service and support.
A memorial service to celebrate Roger’s life will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Moose Lake Covenant Church. Visitation will occur one hour prior to the service, which will be followed by lunch. Pastor Wendy Sorvik will officiate.
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