Sandra Ann Gillis

Sandra Ann Linquist was born February 28, 1936, in Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, the first daughter and middle child born to Anna and Robert Linquist. When she was a toddler, her family moved to the Pacific Northwest to support the WWII aircraft build at Boeing. Growing up here, Sandy became a true Seattleite. She was a member of the second graduating class of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School, a 1958 graduate of Holy Names Academy High School, and a student of Seattle University. Sandy then followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a registered nurse, working for Dr. Hendrickson, an orthopedic surgeon in Seattle.

One fateful June evening in 1959, while attending the wedding reception of a Seattle U. friend, a gentleman asked her to dance. After that dance, he went upstairs and told his best friend he had met the woman he was going to marry. Despite having no car, he was not deterred and asked her out on a date. According to Sandy’s version of the story, he asked her out because she owned a convertible VW Beetle. Pat clearly delivered the best sales pitch of his entire career, as they were married two years later on August 5th, 1961, and went on to enjoy 64 years together, welcoming four children, in five years, all born in the month of August. Pat and Sandy’s life together included moves to Dallas, Colorado, Chicago before returning to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to family.

As Pat traveled the country as VP of Sales for Weyerhaeuser, Sandy gave up her nursing career to focus on her family. She was the foundation that kept everything running relatively smoothly, was the Uber Driver of her generation (without the compensation), PTA member, den mother, and keeper of a lovely home. Sandy invested endlessly in her kids’ education (including typing innumerable school papers), indulged their fleeting many interests, fostered a foundation in the Catholic faith, and made time for every major extracurricular event.

Sandy entertained the wide circle of friends that she and Pat cultivated in college along with the many friends found through Pat’s work life the corporate executives that Pat invited to the house. Pat often said that Sandy was a huge asset to his professional career because of her warmth, ability to talk to anyone and make everyone feel as if they were the most important person in the room

Sandy lived a full life with the friends and family she loved, enjoying her favorite things: Coffee, Old Fashions, shrimp, penny slot machines, baseball, skiing, traveling the world with Pat after retirement, and days at the beach. She was also a shrewd investor, who picked her share of stocks that allowed her to treat her family to trips, like her 75th birthday celebration to Disney World and Easter trips to Palm Desert.

Sandy’s five grandchildren were her special joy, and she was proud to see them all graduate from high school in person.

It’s ironic that Sandy passed from heart trouble, as she was so young at heart and had the biggest heart for others. Always eager to go, go, go, she never sat down, and was often described by her children as the Energizer Bunny.

Sandy was also the definition of a perfect friend - dependable, loyal, and trustworthy. She also tirelessly took care of others in need, including family friends, her husband, her mother, father and brother for years before they passed.

Sandy will be dearly missed and remembered for her contagious laugh, smile, appreciation of people and welcoming way with all.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Daryl and Thomas and her husband Patrick. She is survived by her children Michele, Jim (Celia), Colleen (Chris Mounsey), and Tim (Amy), and her grandchildren Matthew, Shane, Shannon, Cole, and Claire.

Funeral Mass to be held Monday August 3rd, 12pm at St. John Evangelist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to : Donate to Macular Degeneration Research or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude