Obituaries

Sandra “Sam” J. (Nelson) Andersen, 68, of Eau Claire passed away on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at her home.

Sam was born on May 17, 1955, to Franklin and Marion (Asmussen) Nelson in Eau Claire, WI. She graduated from Eau Claire North High School in 1973 and later studied Purchasing & Materials Management at Chippewa Valley Technical College. She married and later divorced Michael L. Lee. They had two children. Son Sean was stillborn and daughter Brenda. She later married Stan Andersen on May 17, 1997. She dearly missed her daughter who was taken much too soon from a vehicle accident in April 2011 and then raised her granddaughter until her health became too much to be able to do this. She loved watching the Green Bay Packers, NASCAR races and playing social media games. Sandy had worked at Sears for more than ten years. She had the gift of listening and barking out orders as needed while working as a bartender at different establishments. She loved her dogs, especially Desiree.

Sam is survived by her husband, Stan J. Andersen of Eau Claire; brother, Leslie “Butch” Nelson; sisters, Carol (Greg) Loss and Judith (John) Bright; granddaughter, Britania “Tanya” Lee and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Mother-in-law, Jackie Andersen; sister-in-law, Dee Andresen; brother-in-law, Scott (Diana) Andersen and Dean (Lori) Andersen.

Sam was preceded in death by grandparents Lauritz and Olga Nelson and Lester and Josephine Asmussen, parents, Franklin and Marion Nelson; son, Sean Lee; sister, Deborah K. Hays Porter; daughter, Brenda Lee-Anderson; brother-in-law, Duane Hays and Stephen Porter and many aunts and uncles.

A memorial service will be Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 1:00 pm at Smith Funeral Chapel. A visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Tuesday.