Mildred Sands

Mildred L. Sands, age 84 of Waseca, died on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at the Owatonna Care Center.   Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 13th at 10:30 a.m. at McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Waseca, with Fr. Martin Schaefer, officiate. Interment will be in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis.   Visitation will be held on Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. until the hour of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.      Mildred Lorraine was born on July 8, 1927 to John and Adeline (Torker) Knettle in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She graduated from St. Cloud Tech High School in 1945. After graduation Mildred moved to Denver, Colorado where she was employed for 5 years as a switchboard operator. She then moved back to Minnesota and was united in marriage to Kenneth William Sands on December 22, 1951 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mildred and Kenneth lived in the Twin Cities area before moving their family to southern Minnesota. They resided in Owatonna and Mankato areas, and in 1977 they settled in Waseca. She was employed by various businesses in the area, including Birds Eye Foods Inc. from 1976 until 1982, and Brown Printing Company of Waseca from 1982 until her retirement in 2003. Mildred enjoyed boating, swimming and fishing. She cherished time spent with her family and friends, and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.    She is survived by her children, Jeanne (Stu) Thompson of Apple Valley, Thomas (Kathy) Sands of Owatonna, Joel Sands and special friend Sandra Hans of Eagle Lake, Janet (David) Anderegg of Eagle Lake and Ron (Lynn) Sands of Waseca; by her 12 grandchildren, Michael Groff, Joel Groff, Samantha Sands, Tricia Sands, Robert Sands, Jennifer Hanlon, Steven Sands, Brianna Anderson, Ben Anderegg, Rachael Sands, Cameron Sands and Kiana Sands; by her 8 great grandchildren; by her two brothers, Kenneth Knettle of Sartell and John (Marilyn) Knettle of Sauk Rapids; by many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.   She was preceded in death by her parents; by her husband Kenneth in March 1978; by her daughter Patricia Ann in January 1960; by her brother, two sisters and her sister-in-law.