Sandra Schenkel-Bryan

Sandra Lynn Schenkel-Bryan, of Safety Harbor, FL passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Sis was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on March 28, 1961 and grew up in Middleville, Michigan. She lived in the old Schenkel house on bender road, where you could usually hear Fred yelling out “Don’t slam the door”, “get to bed”, “no running in the house”, “quit screwing around”, and of course, “BILL!” She shared the upstairs with her brothers Rick, Fred, and Bill in the little closet of a room. Following in the footsteps of her parent Sandra Schenkel and Frederick Schenkel, she attended Thornapple Kellogg Schools. In high school, she was active in swimming for the butterfly and cross country. Growing up in Middleville, her summers filled with swimming at the lake, riding bikes, playing with all her cousins, and babysitting at Duncan Lake. After high school she graduated from Aquinas College, and tried working at Bradford White, but it just wasn’t for her. In 1986, she followed her love of the sun and moved to Florida, which she called home for the rest of her life. She met her husband Bill, who needed a little extra push to make it happen. After a few times hanging out with all their mutual friends, she finally said to him, “Are you going to ask me out, or what?” They were married on a sailboat at sunset on November 2, 1991. At that time, her family expanded with the addition of Bill’s son, Addison, so really she had two boys to take care of! Sis and Addison’s relationship matured and blossomed into a strong bond (sometimes at Billy’s expense). The three of them shared a lot of memorable experiences and adding Kimi, Addison’s girlfriend, was the cherry on top of their 7th street family, as she emphatically took her in as her own. She grew up with a continuous animal presence that she later turned in to a great passion for animals. She had an enormous soft spot for creatures who couldn’t speak. In 2013, she left the retail business and pursued her dream of becoming a dog groomer, which she absolutel y loved. She was a fierce advocate for strays. One day, GiGi just showed up at the door, and was one of her most beloved companions. Sandra loved her life in Florida. In her backyard, she created her own tropical getaway for peace and tranquility filled with plumerias, bougainvilleas, and gardenias. She would spend time laying by the pool, reading, which was her second passion. The first, of course, would be dogs. Sis and Bill frequently took trips to Palm Island,which was her favorite. She would get to lay out on the beach, reading, while Bill was out in the water fishing, which is his favorite. And the sunsets were perfect, like a glimpse of heaven on earth. In Florida, she had a great life. She and Bill were always going to shows, events, festivals, and concerts, especially her favorite Joe Bonamassa, the coolest blues guitarist in the world. But her absolute favorite was hockey. She was a devoted Tampa Bay Lightning fan. You could always count on her to be either at the arena or watching them on TV. She was also an amazing cook. She had a huge folio of recipes that was overflowing, and amazingly, she could always find the one that she needed. If you ever travelled to visit Sis and Bill, you could count on the warmest hospitality. Sandra is survived by her husband Bill and stepson Addison. She is also survived by her brother, Rick Schenkel (Denise) of Safety Harbor, FL; brother, Fred Schenkel (Pam) of Middleville, MI; brother, Bill Schenkel of New Port Richey, FL; nieces and nephews and cousins. Those who preceded her in death were her beloved parents, Fred and Sandra Schenkel. She is also survived by Mr. Butters, her faithful dog who was by her side always and was her couch buddy who kept her warm during treatment. Her laugh was infectious and unique, and you could always count on Uncle Willy doing his best to keep her laughing, always. She will be missed immensely, more than any words can be said. At this time, a private memorial service will be held for family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to an organization that was dear to Sandy’s heart, the Humane Society of Pinellas County via website or mail to Humane Society of Pinellas, 3040 State Rd 590, Clearwater, FL 33759. Or adopt a stray, because you know that she would always want that to happen.