Sandra Jean (Eid) Almlie was born on July 16, 1941, to Arnold and Lillie Eid in Watertown, South Dakota, where they lived until she was four years old before moving to Arlington, South Dakota, where she grew up. She was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church on October 28, 1956. As an eighth-grader, she began working at the pharmacy on main street and continued there through her first year in college. She graduated from Arlington High School in 1959, where she excelled in academics and participated in many extra-curricular activities - often with distinction - including choir, band, drama, and debate.

After high school, Sandra attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for two years. In late April of her freshman year, while on a sociology class field trip to Bethesda Children's Home in Beresford, South Dakota, she met John Almlie, who proceeded to sweep her off her feet. They were engaged three months later on July 30, and married the next spring on May 26, 1961, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Arlington. They shared 59 years of marriage.  

Sandy and John began their married life together in Beresford, SD, where they worked as house parents for the summer at Bethesda Children's Home. At the end of the summer, they headed to Chicago, where John completed his pastoral internship. Sandy kept busy with the church choir, the women's guild, accompanying the children's choir, and teaching 6th grade girls Sunday school. After John's graduation from Luther Seminary, they lived in Minneapolis where John served his first call at Victory Lutheran Church, and where Sandra was again active in the church, and gave birth to their first child, Lisa Lynne, in 1964. In 1965, they moved to Litchville, North Dakota, where John became pastor at First Lutheran Church, and mom gave birth to their son, Nathan John, in 1967. In 1971, they moved to Langdon, North Dakota, where John became pastor at United Lutheran Church, and in 1973 Sandra gave birth to their daughter, Erica Joy. They remained in Langdon for 29 years.

In 1978, the members of United Lutheran gave John and Sandy the gift of a two-week Holy Land Tour that included Athens, Greece, the Greek Islands of Santorini and Crete, Cairo, Jerusalem, Galilee, and other notable stops. While in Egypt, after a camel ride, John was offered the camel in exchange for his lovely wife, Sandy. Thankfully, he declined.

Sandra was an at-home mom until Erica was four years old. At that time she began a part-time job on Thursday evenings and Saturdays at Jan's Boutique, the local women's clothing store in Langdon. She was employed there for 9 years as a part-time manager. Her favorite part of the job was the seasonal trips to the Twin Cities for market with her friend and store owner, Jan Knudson. She loved getting to see the new fashions before they hit the stores, and helping choose the inventory for the upcoming season, not to mention dining out at a variety of restaurants, and shopping at the malls and downtown Dayton's.

Following her time in retail, Sandy became the first Director of Development for the Cavalier County Memorial Hospital Foundation in Langdon. She held that position for 13 years until John's retirement from the ministry in 2000, and their subsequent move to Woodbury, Minnesota. While in the position, she was nominated by her peers, and ultimately awarded, the Fundraiser of the Year Award from the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE), North Dakota Chapter. Over her tenure, she was an active board member of the North Dakota Chapter of NSFRE, serving as secretary, treasurer, membership chair and vice-president.

During retirement in Woodbury, Sandy and John were members of Nativity Lutheran Church in St. Anthony, where Sandy sang in the choir, chaired the endowment committee, established a tribute gift program, served on the food shelf board, and helped manage and purchase items for the church's book and gift shop. She and John joined a group of friends from the church for lunch after worship most Sundays for a number of years. She also enjoyed spending one day a week for the first several years providing childcare for her grandchildren, spoiling them with fun adventures and treats while their mother took care of chores easier done without young children in tow.  

Throughout her married life, Sandy supported her husband by sharing in his church ministry. She loved being involved in the church choir, singing solos for worship and special occasions, teaching Sunday School, being involved with the women's circles and groups, etc. Sandy also LOVED to shop for others and always had a small "store" in her bedroom of potential gifts. She had lots of friends and loved to meet and visit with friends, new and old, over coffee and goodies. She loved fashion, color, filling every nook and cranny of her home with collectibles, and filling her outdoor space with as many flowers as possible.

At the age of 29, Sandy was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. She lived most of her life with chronic pain, and lived through numerous surgeries and other health issues that were a result of either the rheumatoid or the medications she took to control the pain. In spite of the pain and medical challenges she dealt with each and every day, she got herself out of bed in the morning, got dressed in colorful, stylish outfits (never sweats), fixed her hair, applied her lipstick, and went out into the world with a smile on her face. She was a prime example of the power of positive thinking and what you can accomplish if you don't give up. Unfortunately, lung cancer finally got the best of her. She was not a smoker, so she and her family were surprised when in August she was told she had stage 4 lung cancer. At the time of the diagnosis, her physical health was compromised and doctors did not feel she would be able to handle any treatment. She entered hospice care in her apartment at that time and spent the next four months living the best life possible, knowing her days were numbered. In spite of COVID, she spent several long weekends at her daughter Lisa's home in Moose Lake, MN where all three of her children, their spouses, and her youngest grandchild were able to spend quality time with her. Sadly, Sandy passed away on December 10, 2020, at the age of 79. She died in her Roseville, MN, apartment with her children by her side.

Sandy is survived by her husband, John Almlie; children - Lisa (Paul) Riihiluoma, Nathan (Cynthia) Almlie, and Erica Almlie; three grandchildren - Ellie and Isaac Riihiluoma, and Samantha Almlie; sister, Kathleen Siebrands; sister-in-law, Rachel Schoeld; brother-in-law, David (Marilyn) Almlie; nieces, nephews, cousins, and a number of amazing friends that were like family to her. She was preceded in death by her parents, her infant brother, James Eid, and her brother-in-law, James Schoeld, and numerous aunts and uncles. 

Thank you to the many family and friends who prayed and cared for her, especially during this past very challenging year.

Cards may be sent to: Family of Sandra Almlie, c/o Lisa Riihiluoma, 4619 Alm Road, Moose Lake, MN  55767.

If you would like to make a memorial gift, please consider one of the following or any causes that are dear to your heart:

Nativity Lutheran Church
3312 Silver Lake Road
St. Anthony, MN 55418-1698
nativitychurch.org

United Lutheran Church
1216 9th Avenue
Langdon, ND 58249
unitedlangdon.org

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
2458 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
lssmn.org
(Cherish All Children and Services for Youth)