Sandra Caspers

Sandra J. Caspers, 71, Ottertail, MN, formerly Wahpeton, ND, passed away, Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at her home under the care of hospice. A Funeral Mass will be Monday, April 8, 11:00 a.m., at St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton, ND, with Rev. Dale Lagodinski as celebrant. Visitation will be Sunday, from 4 PM to 7 PM with a 5 PM Prayer Vigil at the Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, and one hour before the service at the church on Monday. Interment will be later in the spring at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton.

Sandy was born on October 31, 1941, to Bud and Gladys McLeod. She was an only child and the first grandchild in her mother's large family, and grew accustomed to getting her way on most occasions. She grew up in Ottertail City, MN, attended elementary grades in a two room school house in Ottertail City, and attended Jr. High School at John-Marshall Junior High, St. Paul, MN, before she graduated from Perham MN, High School in 1959. She attended the University of Minnesota and completed her medical laboratory assisting certificate. On February 23, 1963 she married Robert W. Caspers at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Fergus Falls, MN. The couple lived in the Twin Cities where Sandy worked at Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids, MN. They moved to Wahpeton, ND, in 1971 where they raised their family and operated Caspers Furniture Store until their retirement. In 2007 they moved to their home on Otter Tail Lake, MN, although she continued to work part-time at Wahpeton Floral and Gift until her health declined. She was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2002, a somewhat treatable but incurable cancer of the white blood cells. With the aid of wonderful medical personnel, the prayers of family and friends and her own determination and stubbornness, Sandy lived the life she wanted for most of the next eleven years before going home to her lord and her ancestors. Sandy will be sadly missed but we will remember her courage and strength in defying the odds with her myeloma.

Sandy was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Rush Lake, MN, St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton, Catholic Daughters, Foresters, Merry Few Homemakers Club, and several bridge clubs. Sandy was a "shopper's shopper" and loved flowers. She was a self-taught home decorator, a gourmet cook, and a striving Bridge player (although often dealt bad cards).Sandy had a love for children, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband Bob, and four children, Kimberly (Vance) Gullickson, Morris, MN; Kristen (Steve) Braun, Bloomington, Illinois, Kevin (Brenda) Caspers, Chaska, MN, and Shannon (Corey) Meyer, Wahpeton; fifteen grandchildren: Anthony (Amy) Ekren, Abbie (Mitch) Fehr, Alexis (Tyler) Johnson, Carly and Bo Gullickson, Bobbie, Andrew, and Matthew Braun, Spencer and William Caspers, Katie, Hannah, Megan, Leah, and Aaron Meyer, and nine great-grandchildren, her cherished sisters-in-law, and Aunts Mabel Stevens, Barbara Bjorgo, Darlene Thill, and Uncle Alfred Bjorgo, and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and a great number of aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, bequests are suggested for St John's Catholic School, Wahpeton.