Barbara R. Sands

Barbara “Barb” Rose Sands nee: Balzer, age 52 of Farley, IA/Portage, WI, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2020.

I was born on October 6, 1967 to Gene and Diana (Giese) Balzer.  My childhood was spent living in rural Pardeeville, WI.  I have wonderful memories of attending Marcellon Elementary School.  I especially enjoyed playing outside, building forts, and sledding downhill.  I felt privileged to attend the small country school.  I graduated in 1986 from Pardeeville High School, where I played volleyball and softball.

I met Jon Sands while living in the same apartment complex in Baraboo, WI.  He proposed to me on June 16, 2000 which was the one year anniversary of our first date.  We were married on October 21, 2000.  In the winter of 2004, we moved to Farley, IA. where we bought our first house.  It was a fixer upper that we worked hard together to make it our home.

I enjoyed the road trips with Jon from the east coast to the west coast.  I loved going to Disneyland and Universal Studios.  The best part of each trip was sharing the excitement with Jon. I enjoyed attending and watching sports with my husband.  I was especially happy when my team the Packers beat his team Da Bears!

I leave behind my loving family: my husband Jon, mother Diana, siblings Julie (Bruce) Vanderboom and their children Kim and Blake, Connie (Terry) Kohn and their children Milon (Amber) Kohn, their son Gage, Sonja (Ryan) Jelovnik, Paige (Dustin) Wollschlager, their son Harlan, and Joe Balzer; my mother and father in-law Phil and Carol Sands and my brothers in-law Rich Sands and sons Ryan (Remi) and Alex and Pete (Laura) Sands along with other relatives and close friends.

I was preceded in death by my father Gene and my grandparents, Joe and Marcella Balzer, Bill and Lodemia Giese, Alvie and Shirley Sutfin and by my husband’s deceased mother Georgianna Sands.

I would like to thank my family and friends for their love and support during my journey. A very special thanks to my mom for being my rock and my cheerleader.  To my outstanding neighbors and friends Tammy, Fred, Sue, Randy, and Nicole for always being there for me.  Thank you to the staff at Zion CTCA, Mercy One, UW Madison, Divine Savior and Agrace for their outstanding care over the last 3 ½  years.

Funeral Services will be held Sunday, September 27 at 3 PM at Grasse Funeral Home, 119 Industrial Drive, Pardeeville with Father Gary Krahenbuhl presiding. The service will be live streamed and found at https://youtu.be/AQhMlEeIEI8 . Visitation will be held from 12 Noon until the time of the funeral service. Social distancing and masks are required.

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