Sandy "Shoes" Wekesser

Sandy was born by a C-section at Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst Illinois two weeks early. This happened to be the first and last time she was early for anything pertaining to an appointment or important event. Her family moved to Colorado when she was four years old.

Sandy passed away on November 16th,2023 lost, alone in a tent encampment homeless and living on the street.

Her older brother Dan Budnik was her only sibling. Sandy was the daughter of Renee and Michael Budnik, and the stepdaughter of Debra Budnik for over 28 years. Sandy was called “Aunt Sandy” by her niece Sophia Budnik.

Sandy was preceded in death by her Aunt Liz (Budnik) Maples, Uncle Rich Budnik, Uncle Tom Budnik, Uncle Craig Thorpe, her stepson Max Wekesser, Aunt Barb (Budnik) Chrabot, Grandpa Earl Thorpe, Grandpa Dan Budnik, Grandma Mickie Budnik.

Sandy would have called her mother Renee’s mom Grandma Donna Thorpe if she hadn’t passed away before her parents were married.

Sandy is survived by her husband Joshua Wekesser, his daughter Emma, her in-laws Edward & Jane Wekesser, along with their daughter Alyssa, her husband and their two children.

Sandy is also survived by her parents Renee, Debi, and Mike Budnik, brother Dan Budnik, her niece Sophia Budnik, Sophia’s mom Diane Saavedra, Uncle Eric Thorpe, Aunt Bonnie (Budnik) Reeves, Aunt Pat (Budnik) Bryant her husband Gary Bryant, Judy (Budnik) Voss, Sandy also had many cousins in her life as well.

Sandy was a born-again Christian, she confessed Jesus Christ as her personal Savior as a child. Sandy loved to read, she read the “Anne of Green Gables” books when she was younger, when she got older a good “Fix it or Do it Yourself “book was always laying around her place to look at if cared to see what she was up to next as far as that stuff went.

Learning how to trim out a house and do carpenter work with her Uncle Eric in Illinois was how she spent most of her summers. Sandy graduated from Arvada West High School in 2004.

Sandy worked for Domino’s pizza for over 15 years starting as a customer service rep, driver, Manager in Training, General Manager, and lastly as a Senior Trainer who taught new managers how to become great managers.

Whether it was a stray dog, cat, or someone down in their luck Sandy seemed to have an open heart to get to know them and see if she could help them in some way. The ones she referred to as “Fur Babies” were her favorite.