Jesus called Sandra DeAnne Klarkowski home on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, at UPH-Trinity, Rock Island, age 80. She was born on November 12, 1937 to William J. Morrissey and Alice “Rita” Morrissey (neé Milashoski), in Peoria, Illinois. After the family relocated to East Moline, she was a boarding student at the Villa deChantel.
In 1955 she graduated from United Township High School where her dramatic skills blossomed, and lifelong friendships were forged. She continued to study drama at the University of Denver, Colorado on a Theatre and Broadcasting scholarship. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, July 7, 2018 at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 7th Ave.
, Rock Island. Visitation will be held from 9 am to service time. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, Moline.
Her varied careers included co-owning a dance studio which sponsored contestants for beauty pageants. She was a driving force behind the Opportunity Center for the Handicapped which started in a small white house behind McDonald’s located on Avenue of the Cities in Moline. The small white house evolved in to the Opportunity Center on 52nd Avenue in Moline.
She later held the title of Executive Director of the American Cancer Society for five counties in Illinois, during which she raised funds for the society and provided medical equipment and patient care supplies to local cancer patients. She enjoyed her career as a real estate agent with Good Day Realty. Among all her achievements, she was best known as the host of the “On Q with Sandy” show on WQAD in the 1960s.
She was also very involved with the Managerial Wives Club of IH, East Moline Plant and the Junior Service League of Moline. She retired from John Deere due to her failing vision but that didn’t stop her from writing a book. She was forever the story teller.
In her later years she would say that she didn’t have anything to talk to people about. For those of you who knew her, can you really imagine Sandy not having anything to say? It is with heavy hearts that we must say goodbye to such a talented, generous, loving friend and mother who helped so many people with her creativity and vision.
Those left to remember her are her two daughters with her former husband, Thomas M. Klarkowski, Lizabeth D. Leaf (Michael), Moline, IL and Catherine L. Schroeder (D. Thomas), Atlanta, GA, and her two beloved grandsons, T. Nicholas Schroeder, and his wife, Anne Thies Schroeder, of St. Louis, MO and Zachary A. Schroder, of St. Louis, MO, and more recently, Tempe, AZ. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Beverly Edgar, and brother, William “John” Morrissey.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Mark Kovach, Dr. Thomas Ade, Dr. B. Reddy, Diane Boelens A.P.P., Dr. Gerry Rauba, and Dr. Alex Pergius. Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church, Moline or St. Pius Church, Rock Island.
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