Sandra J. Hansen
Sandra Jean (Anderson) Hansen, 85, of Sun City, Ariz., passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2026, with her husband Jim (James) Hansen by her side. She was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be deeply missed by her many loving friends and family members.
Sandra, affectionately known as “Sandy,” was born in Iowa City on June 3, 1940, the first of two children born to Cleofus James and Dora Mae (Starkey) Anderson of Marquette. She and her younger brother, Richard, enjoyed an idyllic small-town life along the Mississippi River in Northeast Iowa, surrounded by many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Sandra enjoyed a variety of activities as a youth, including basketball and playing the accordion, and she excelled at her academic work, graduating as valedictorian of her Mar-Mac High School class of 1958. It was in her youth that Sandra discovered her Christian faith which guided her throughout the remainder of her life.
During her high school years, Sandra met her husband-to-be, Jim Hansen, who lived nearby in West Union. They were married at the United Methodist Church in McGregor on June 14, 1959, surrounded by friends and family. Their first home was in Minneapolis, Minn., where Sandra spent one year studying medical technology. Shortly thereafter, they moved to West Union, where their first two children, Jeff and Jody, were born, and Jim began working in his family’s institutional food business. Sandy was a homemaker and began baking and decorating cakes for weddings and other special occasions. Sandra became particularly well known for the beautiful wedding cakes she crafted.
Jim and Sandra moved westward to Clear Lake in 1965, where their third child, Jon, was born. Clear Lake became both their family home and location of several successful family-run businesses that Jim and Sandra built over the next two decades, including H&H Food Service and Jim Hansen Ford, with Sandra assisting with the bookkeeping and administrative tasks. Sandra was extremely supportive of her children’s many athletic, musical and varied activities.
In 2000, Jim and Sandra moved to Prairie du Chien, Wis., to be close to Sandra’s ailing mother, Dora Mae Anderson, where they made their home on the Mississippi River. There, they purchased multiple competing auto dealerships and established a new General Motors auto dealership, Great Country Motors, serving the Southwest Wisconsin and Northeast Iowa area. They also maintained a small inn, serving fishermen on an interior channel of the Mississippi River, and developed many positive relationships in the community.
Eventually Jim and Sandra purchased a retirement home in Arizona and began spending their winters there to escape the harsh Midwestern weather. Upon full retirement in 2012, they made a permanent move to Sun City, Ariz., where they enjoyed community activities, were avid boaters and very active in their local church, the Lakeview Methodist Church of Sun City.
Water bodies played a significant role in Sandra’s life, from growing up on the Mississippi River, to raising her children on Clear Lake, and then settling with her husband into a beautiful home on Viewpoint Lake in Sun City.
A love of automobiles was a shared passion of Sandra and Jim’s, passed on to their children, including their collection of classic cars, as well as involvement in the Sun City Car Club.
Sandra developed deep and lasting friendships throughout her life, especially with other women of faith with whom she enjoyed weekly bible studies wherever she resided. She enjoyed being a part of the Evangelical Free Church of Clear Lake and was especially comforted in her later years by the many friends she made in the congregation of the Lakeview United Methodist Church of Sun City.
Sandra was a gentle soul who lived her Christian faith fully, treating others as she would like them to treat her, and not judging or disparaging anyone. She was kind, generous, intelligent and creative. She was a devoted wife, parent and grandparent, an unconditional friend and an involved community member. Most importantly, though, Sandra was loving, and, in turn, very loved by her many friends and family who now miss her dearly, though will have her in their hearts forever!
She was preceded in death by her father Cleofus (Andy) Anderson, mother Dora Mae (Starkey) Anderson, brother Richard (Dick) Anderson, daughter-in-law Cherie (Jones) Hansen, brother-in-law Michael Baldwin and many beloved aunts and uncles.
Sandra is survived by her husband of nearly 67 years, James Edward Hansen, three children and their families: son, Jeff (Sherry) Hansen; grandchildren Sarah (Eric) Vermeer, Andrew (Kaitlyn) Hansen and Eric (Erin) Hansen; great-grandchildren Josiah, Vivian, Esther and Clara Vermeer; Evelyn Hansen; and Liliana and Corin Hansen.
Daughter, Jody Smith; grandchildren Kristen (Andy) Hettinga, Kathryn (Brent) Nicholson, Andrew (Megan) Smith, Taylor (Ryan) Slattery and Logan (Molly) Smith; great-grandchildren Tobey and Mallory Hettinga; Morgan and Miles Nicholson; Madeline Smith; Callyn and Jackson Slattery; and baby boy Smith expected July 3.
Son, Jon (Nyhkal) Hansen; grandchildren Rachael (Amy) Sobotka, Ian Hansen, and Blake Hansen; great-grandchildren Tristan and Dylan Sobotka; Liliana Barrios and Kai Hansen.
She is also survived by her aunt, Jean Delong; sister-in-law Sandra K. Baldwin; many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews; and dear friends, Kathie DuPont and Jan Baker.
Additionally, the family would like to thank Caroline Baylon and family for their loving attention as caregivers to Sandra in her final years.
No services have been planned at this time.
