Sandra Rhodes

Sandra Kaye (Waggoner) Rhodes was born in Custer, S.D., Feb. 6, 1949, to Nellie and Ed Waggoner. She lived her early years in Custer and attended Custer schools. She enjoyed spending time with relatives, especially her maternal grandparents, Florence and Roy Davis, and her uncle, George Davis all of Custer. 

Sandy, as she preferred to be called, liked country music, wore cowboy boots and cowboy hats and loved to ride horses. She didn’t always do things by the book and sometimes that got her into trouble, but she had a loyal and golden heart If you were her friend she’d stand by you. She was very protective of her younger cousins and liked to take them on adventures, especially cousin Glenda. She knew the back trails and behind-the-scenes life of living in the Black Hills. 

Sandy lived in and explored several states including Idaho, California, Florida, Washington, Nevada and Nebraska. It was a rambling life and she met many people. She lived in Las Vegas for a few years before returning to South Dakota, finally residing in Nebraska for the last several years. She held various jobs over the years including waitressing, long-haul truck driving and house painting. 

Sandra died in Hemingford, Neb., Feb. 26, 2019. She was 70.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ed Waggoner; mother, Nellie Parsons; stepfather, Arthur Parsons; maternal grandparents, Roy and Florence Davis; aunts, Margaret Kolmar of Winner, S.D., Inez Sharp of Cashmere, Wash., and Opal Davis of Custer; uncles, Samuel Davis, who died in WWII, and Jake Sharp of Cashmere.

Sandra is survived by her uncle George Davis of Custer; cousins, Jim Sharp, Glenda Keller and Devera Sharp, all of Washington, Patty Kolmar of California, Kenny Kolmar and Vola Thorstenson of South Dakota and Beverly Rose of Nebraska; as well as several great-nieces and nephews.

Sandy was buried at the Custer Cemetery near her great-grandparents Samuel and Ella Linton.