Kandy Kay Sidanycz

Kandiss (Kandy) Kay Sturm Sidanycz was born on August 27, 1945 in Grand Junction, Colorado to Fred & Leona Sturm. She was 77 when she went on to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 30, 2022. Those who preceded her in death were her parents, her brothers Don , Wes and Sam who passed before she was born.

Mom spent her childhood on D Road with her brothers, Don, Wes, Louis (Buster), Vic & Ronnie and her sister, Ginger. She enjoyed going to school and playing with her friends down by the river. She did have typical brothers though and they liked to scare her with grasshoppers. This fear carried into her adult years. There was one time when she was at a stop light on North Avenue and a grasshopper jumped into her car, she jumped out, leaving the car to drive off on its own. This fear she passed on to her girls as well. We all hate grasshoppers!

Our mom was beautiful! During her senior year of high school, her DE class took over the management of a Fashion Bar department store for one day as a project for their class. Her classmates chose her to model Sweetbriar clothing and was honored in the Daily Sentinel.

Mom graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1963 and went on to Mesa College for two years. She worked at Gavins Drug Store during this time, delivering prescriptions and helping Mr. Gavin by picking his children up from school. She enjoyed working there and later when she had us girls we would often go there to get a vanilla coke from the soda fountain.

In 1966, my mom’s world changed forever with the birth of her first daughter, Tia (me). Needless to say she should have stopped there but two years later Tracie came (much to my dismay). Then, Tara arrived in 1970 followed by Toni in 1975. We thought we were done but mom had other ideas and along came our baby sister (and by her account the apple of her mother’s eye and her best friend), Tawnya in 1981. She loved us girls FIERCELY and unconditionally! There was nothing she would not do for her girls even though we were rotten, all in our own way.

Our mother met the love of her life in 1973 and married Michael A. Sidanycz on October 25, 1974. During their life together, Mom and Pops enjoyed going on drives around western Colorado, fishing on the Mesa, taking family vacations and just spending time with their ever growing family.

Mom was in retail management and worked at Albertsons for 25 years. She retired in 2001 to stay home and enjoy her 14 grandkids. They were her pride and joy and she would not be happy if I did not list them all so here I go…

I had one daughter, Karyssa in 1988.

Tracie had one son, Kasey in 1989 and one daughter, Deanna in 1992.

Tara had one daughter, Aarika in 1996 and one son, Zachary in 1999.

Toni had three sons and one daughter, Todd in 1992, Scott in 1994, Taylor in 1995 and Bryan in 1997.

Tawnya had three daughters and two sons, Tristen in 1996, Michael in 1998, Riley in 2001, Tori in 2002 and Brayden in 2004.

Mom was also blessed with 11 great-grandkids with one on the way. Their names are: Evangeline, Connor, Kai, Theodore, Brier, Aris, Josephine, Ryn, Adelaide, Bellea, Brexlee and Raylan. (Whew)

When Mom was in her mid 50’s, she discovered a love for CrossFit and she was really good at it! In 2011, she went to California to compete in the CrossFit Games. She tied for 9th in her division. We were all very proud of her!

As you can tell, I could go on and on about our mom. We all loved her so very much and we hate this horrible disease that took her from us way too soon! With that being said, this is not goodbye but see you later Momma. Love you forever…

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.callahan-edfast.com for the Sidanycz family.