Sandy graduated from Northeast High School in 1965 and immediately went to work for the phone company as a switchboard operator. On a Friday the 13th in October 1967, she married John and began her greatest passions in life and ones that she excelled at: being a wife, mother, and Grannie.
As a fire wife and mother, Sandy served as the President of the Local 42 Firefighters Auxiliary for over 25 years. During that time, she served on the Kansas City, Missouri, committee to have the Firefighters Memorial built and where you can see her name on the dedication plaque. She volunteered for many other organizations over the years, including as a Board Member for the Marillac Center’s Festival of Trees, MDA, Northland Rotational Softball Association, and the Salvation Army.
When it came to her kids, she did everything, from head PTA room parent, cub scout den leader, Girl Scout leader, band booster parent, and snack mom and scorekeeper for all the sports, just to name a few. She also babysat many kids, picking up many honorary Donnelly children along the way. Whether you knew her as Mrs. D., Ms. Sandy, Mom, Grannie, or one of her many other nicknames, you could always count on her showing up to every event, supporting you, and cheering you on.
Sandy enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling, playing cards, attending the Broadway series in town, marathon visits with family and friends in person and over the phone, Monday “pie day” lunches with the Passlers, and spending Sunday mornings watching QVC to pick out every purple item she thought she should buy, but never did. And no holiday season was complete without one of Sandy’s famous loaves of banana nut bread.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Betty (Goffinet) Pate, and sister Karan Pate.
Sandy is survived by her husband, John; children: John (Tanya), Tim, Patrick (Laura), and Kimberly; grandchildren: Kelly, Timothy, John 3.0, Maeve, and Everett; dog, Max; and many nieces, nephews, and friends who were family.
A visitation is set for 5-7pm on Monday, September 23, 2024, at White Chapel Funeral Home, 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, MO 6119. A celebration of life will be held at 11am on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, also at White Chapel.
Serving as pallbearers are John Donnelly Jr, Timothy Donnelly , Patrick Donnelly , Timothy Donnelly Jr., Matthew Passler, Jerry Stockstill and Krise Richardt.
