Sandra West Nordblad, age 83, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter, Janie Jones, in Highland, UT on April 29, 2018. She was born in Pocatello, Idaho on February 18, 1935 to Henry G. and Helen C. West. She had a very happy childhood growing up with her older brother, Henry Jr. (Hank), and her best friend and younger sister, Joyce.
The children lived a charmed childhood in a very loving family including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins with frequent family get-togethers. Sandra and Joyce took dance (15 years), piano, and voice lessons together and performed frequently in public They went fishing often as a family. The girls learned how to embroider from their mother while on these trips.
Sandra enjoyed embroidering, sewing and quilting throughout her life. The family also took numerous vacations together while the kids were growing up. Hank taught Sandra how to ski when she was 12 years old, at which she excelled.
Sandra graduated from Pocatello High School where she was an attendant to the Homecoming Queen in the Fall of 1952. She attended Brigham Young University where she was named Snow Queen in February 1954. She majored in Home Economics.
While at BYU, she met the love of her life, John Nordblad from Los Angeles, CA. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple, August 3, 1956. After their wedding, they made their home in Southern California.
They enjoyed more than 50 years of happiness until John’s death in April 2008. Sandra and John had five children join their family. The tradition of doing things together continued with their family.
They spent many years water skiing competitively, as well as for fun. They also rode motorbikes. They used the family camper on these activities as well as family trips to visit other family members in Utah and Idaho.
There were multiple Christmases spent with Sandra’s siblings and their families. After Sandra and John’s kids were grown, she traveled extensively with her sister, Joyce, and other family members. A number of the trips were taken with their mother during her later years (she lived to be almost 101 years old).
Destinations included Hawaii, Disney World, the Midwest (Mall of America), Washington, DC, Canada, Boston, Alaska, and Europe (multiple times). Sandra loved to quilt, sew, and garden. She made numerous quilts for her grandkids and other family members.
She loved her roses, azaleas and camellias and had a true green thumb she inherited from her mother. She loved bright colored flowers especially if they were bright pink, purple or red. Her wardrobe also contained a lot of those same colors.
Sandra also did significant work with family history. She also loved playing Yahtzee. She would vigorously shake the dice and get very excited when she rolled something good.
Sandra loved her family. She especially enjoyed watching her kids and grandkids participating in activities they enjoy. Sandra was always up for a good family party.
Even though she was a petite woman, she would always give giant-sized hugs to all she was happy to see. She leaves a legacy of kindness and love. Sandra is survived by her five children – Cherine (Marcus) Southworth, Salt Lake City; Jack Nordblad, California; John (Susan) Nordblad, Moorpark, California; Brent (Shari) Nordblad, Palmdale, California; and Janie (Carleton) Jones, Highland, Utah; 19 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren with 2 more due this year; her sister, Joyce Woodward, Orem, Utah and favorite nephew, Barry Woodward, as well as many other nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, John, and brother, Henry (Paula) West, Jr. The family would like to thank all of those who helped care for Sandra during the last few years of her life including family members, friends, church members, the staff at Neighborhood House and Hospice workers at Lighten Home Health and Hospice. Family and friends are invited to visit the family at a viewing held on Friday, May 4 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the LDS chapel located at 11605 N. 6000 W., Highland, Utah. A graveside service at the American Fork Cemetery will be held immediately following the viewing.
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