Sandra Ann Nelson

Sandra Ann Nelson (Fager) passed away on May 4, surrounded by love and with the fading sounds of a spring thunderstorm outside her window. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend, and we will all miss her desperately.

Sandy grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she lived with her parents and sister. She loved Presque Isle State Park and visiting the beaches of Lake Erie. She traveled often to spend time with her grandparents in Jamestown, New York, on the shores of Lake Chautauqua. There, she learned the art of Swedish cooking, a skill that she honed and used to spread joy to the rest of her family throughout her life. Sandy was fiercely proud of her Swedish heritage, and she instilled that pride in her children as well.

Sandy attended Thiel College, studying education and religion, and she formed lifelong friendships and made many memories in the drama department, also studying abroad in Mexico City.

Family was the most important thing to Sandy. She treasured the relationship she had with Sheldon, her doting father, who taught her to always look on the bright side and who also instilled in her a strong inner faith that would guide her throughout her life. Sandy and her sister, Sue, had an unbreakable sisterhood created through a shared love of music, politics, and humor, the strength of which will continue to reverberate with their children and grandchildren.

Growing up in Erie, she met the love of her life, Shane Nelson, and the two of them forged a bond that stretched across decades and brought her love, fulfillment and comfort. Their devotion to one another was unlimited and could be felt through the love and support that they collectively provided to their friends, family, and rescue dogs.

Perhaps her greatest joy in life was being a mother, and she was a wonderful, loving, and supporting mother to her two boys, Jonathan and Nathaniel. Her tight bond with her children extended to their families, and she welcomed being a mother-in-law by making her sons’ partners feel like part of her family, passing on stories and traditions. The thing that brought Sandy the most fulfillment was being a grandmother. She was beloved by her four grandsons—Felix, Theo, Winston, and Sebastian—and she loved them with her entire heart. She was never happier than when she was spending time with the grandkids, doing projects, playing games, and learning everything she could about their interests.

Sandy devoted her life to other people’s children, too, spending more than 30
years as a teacher in Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. Her students meant the world to her, and she held each of them in her heart as the years went by.

Sandy was a voracious reader, an avid history buff, a prolific artist, a talented gardener, and an amazing chef. She loved to go new places and meet new people. She was always eager to learn about her loved ones’ lives, share their joys, comfort their sorrows, and enjoy a good cup of coffee. And, perhaps surprisingly, she enthusiastically cheered on the Buffalo Bills.

Sandy is preceded in death by her father. She is survived by her husband, mother, uncle and aunt, sister and brother-in-law, two sons and their partners, four grandsons, nieces, and nephews. Every time we hear a cardinal’s call or see a white feather, we will think of her. We will miss and love her for the rest of our lives.

Memorial services will be planned for sometime in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed to Erie Humane Society, Moms Demand Action, or Because You Care, Inc.