Sandra Lee (Nyberg) Bender

   Sandra Lee (Nyberg) Bender, 63, of rural Alcester, South Dakota, passed away on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

   Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden, Iowa with Pastor Jim Rutherford of Oak Hills Baptist Church in Sioux Falls officiating. Visitation with the family will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Porter Funeral Home.

   Sandra Lee (Nyberg) Bender was born on November 17, 1959, in Santa Monica, California. The last of four children born into the family, she was the pride and joy of her parents, Donald Duane Nyberg and Lucille Maxine (Cartwright) Nyberg. Sandy grew up in the San Fernando Valley, in the City of Northridge, California. She attended Via Vera Academy in North Hollywood throughout her early education. After graduating high school, she enrolled at California State University in Northridge, where she studied Art Layout Design. However, Sandy’s creative abilities far exceeded the degree she pursued. Feeling unchallenged by the studies offered, she chose to seek other adventures.

   Her greatest adventure in life began on November 7^th, 1980, when she welcomed her twin baby girls, Bethanny and Rachel into this world. Being a single mom of twin girls was far from easy, but the Lord knew that Sandy had the strength and determination to persevere, and that she did. While providing for her girls, she never once let it show just how tiring and worrisome being a mother could be. She filled the days with love, silliness, and laughter that would leave you in tears. Often spontaneous and always so fun and full of life, Sandy made a lifetime of beautiful memories to cherish, for all who knew her.

   On December 11^th, 1987, Sandy began an exciting new adventure when she married the love of her life, Roger Bradley Bender, during a secret little rendezvous in Reno, Nevada. The two love birds, living in Carson City, Nevada at the time, packed up all they could and headed cross country for greener pastures in Missouri. Never conforming to modern day standards of success and happiness, they journeyed together with dreams of living a quiet, simple life with humble roots. Eventually, in July of 1994, those dreams started to become reality, when they bought a little acreage just south of Alcester, South Dakota in Big Springs Township. Life wasn’t always easy, at times it seemed as though the hardships and struggles would never end for our dear Sandy. But she embraced each hardship she endured. Knowing that it was all God’s will, she humbly gave her troubles up to the Lord and put all her trust in Him to see her through.

   On August 16^th, our beautiful Sandy was called home to be with the Lord. No longer suffering or struggling through this earthly life, she is at peace, at home with our loving Savior and her parents whom she missed dearly.

   Blessed to have been a part of Sandy’s life are: her husband of 36 years, Roger Bender; her two daughters, Bethanny Nyberg (Jay Walton) and Rachel (Nyberg) Woods (David Woods); her four grandchildren, Damien Woods, Elias Walton, Destiny Woods, and Levi Walton; her nephew, David Meredith; and her little dog, Gus.

   Sandy was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Gary Nyberg; her sister, Debra (Nyberg) Sawyer; her niece, Rebecca (Meredith) Nelson; her nephew, Dennis Mansker; and a granddaughter, Dezzirae Woods.