Trenary
Donald L. Sandstrom, Sr., age 83, longtime Trenary resident, died on Sunday evening, November 10, 2013 at the Tendercare Alpena in Alpena, Michigan. He was born on August 12, 1930 in Munising, Michigan to the late Oscar and Anna (Rudquist) Sandstrom and he attended school in Eben. Donald married the love of his life, Vivian Susan Lancour, on October 14, 1950 and together they raised their four sons and two daughters. Don worked many jobs. His employment included thirty-seven accident free years of truck driving for the Michigan Milk Producers Association, working at the MSU Extension Office in Chatham, the Holmquist Feed Mill, Richmond and Hawley Sawmill, mowing grass for the Trenary Parks, and as the Mathias Township sexton for many years. He was a dedicated Alger County Board of Commissioner (District 4) for thirty-six continuous years. Don was an active and faithful member of the Trenary United Methodist Church where he volunteered as the caretaker for years. He was a member of the Trenary Lions Club and he lead the Trenary fireworks crew for years. Don enjoyed waking up the residents of Trenary with a bang every 4th of July at 6:00 a.m. He coached Little League for years, was referred to as the unofficial mayor of Trenary, and cooked pigs with Bill Davis for the fair, friends, and family. Don enjoyed his community of Trenary and he could always be found mowing lawns or snowblowing around town. Donald moved to Alpena in 2009 to be closer to his daughter and her family.
Donald is survived by his children - Bill (Christine) Sandstrom of Wrenshall, MN Paul (Kathy) Sandstrom of Orion, MI, Connie (David) Latvala of Rio Rico, AZ, and Fawn (Matt) Gies of Alpena, MI; daughter-in-law - JoAnn (Dave) Valley of Peshtigo, WI; twenty grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Donald was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of over forty years - Vivian who died on April 3, 1991; his son and daughter-in-law - Donald and Cheryl Sandstrom, Jr.; his son - Rock Sandstrom; and his siblings.
Visitation will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and then from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. There will also be visitation at the church on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Don's funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church in Trenary on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Mathias Township Cemetery in Trenary. Donald will be escorted by his boys.