Mary Lou Sandell

She was born on April 18, 1937, the daughter of Elwood and Velma Sandell in Polk, Nebraska. She graduated from Polk High School in 1958. After that she attended Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota for a year, before moving on to teach kindergarten in Polk, Nebraska for a year. She attended Kearney State Teachers College before going to teach in Columbus, Nebraska for three years, and Belmont Elementary in Lincoln, Nebraska for five years, before teaching at Brownell Elementary School in Lincoln for thirty years until her retirement.

Before retiring she enjoyed spending time with her poodle named Fifi. In her retirement years she collected angels and bells and enjoyed sending out Christmas letters and holiday cards. She was very active at First Baptist Church, and was part of the choir and taught Sunday School for many years. At the present time of her death she was an active member of the church's Foundation Committee. She was also an active member of her sorority, Alpha Delta Kappa, and the Retired Teachers Association. Within those organizations, she served on many different committees.

Mary Lou was a singer. She loved singing and would sing whenever given the chance. Whether it was in choirs, at weddings, at funerals, whenever she was asked to. She was a member of the Eastmont Choir and Lancaster County Singers up until her death. She also loved to read, even up until the end of her life.

At Eastmont she served on different committees as requested. She was very connected to her Swedish heritaged, enjoying potato bologna, bondost cheese with carroway, lingenberry jelly, ostakaka, gingersnap cookies, and lutefisk if someone would make it for her. She especially enjoyed these foods when surrounded by her family on Christmas Eve in her early years.

She will be missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, one great niece Madison Tuzzio, and her beloved dog Fifi, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Left to remember her are her sisters Carmen Sandell of Lincoln, Joan Jones of Bellevue, and brother Kendall (Cindy) Sandell of Syracuse. She also left behind two nieces and two nephews, along with their children.

A visitation for Mary Lou will be held Wednesday, April 12, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 S 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68512. A celebration of life will occur Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home. Burial will be at Lindale Cemetery between Polk and Hordville, Nebraska. Services will be livestreamed go to www.lincolnfh.com

The family wishes memorials to First Baptist Church in memory of Mary Lou Sandell