In Loving Memory
of
Sandra Hutchinson
October 31, 1938 - January 14, 2007

Words escape me at this time, but some of you knew Sandy Hutchinson. She so graciously offered and sang like an angel at Wyman's funeral. Sandy and Wyman are now playing cards, I'm sure of that......she passed away early Sunday morning, January 14th as a result of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). Sandy.....you were one of a kind......or should I call you "Thandy"........Cindy could never say her Ss correctly and that's what she called Sandy for a number of years. We had many laughs about that, especially when her own grandchildren did exactly the same thing. There are many more memories of this wonderful person that I'm now recalling....she was truly a great friend and always made sure those around her knew how much she loved and cared about them. I feel fortunate to have had her as a friend, even with all the miles now between us, and also grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time with Sandy this past summer during my short Minnesota visit. Sandy will be buried on Wednesday in Minnesota. Please remember her family in your thoughts and prayers as they try to slowly walk thru this very difficult time. Sandy, you're wit and humor will be missed here on our site.....she posted a number of such comments on this website.

Sandra “Sandy” Hutchinson of Hastings, former owner of Hutch’s Ice Creame Shoppe in Hastings, died of ALS Jan. 14, 2007. She was 68 years old.

She was born Oct. 31, 1938, in St. Paul, the daughter of George and Gladys (Brockway) Tambornino.

She married Darrell Hutchinson Oct. 5, 1963 in St. Paul. She was employed in the insurance field.

She was a member and former director of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church choir, was former member of the Bach Society Chorus and was a member of the Red Hat Society.

She is survived by her husband, Darrell; daughter, Karen (Jim) Norum of Oak Park Heights; son, Michael Hutchinson of Hastings; brother, Kermit Tambornino of South St. Paul; and grandchildren, Chelsea and Matthew. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A funeral service was held Jan. 17, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Hastings, with Father James Perkl officiating. Interment was in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

The Wise Family Funeral Home, Hastings, was in charge of the arrangements.

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Mary . - Jan 16, 2007

I thought I'd share one of the fondest memories of Sandy.....there are many, but this one always took first place in my mind.......

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It was a typical Minnesota summer day....hot, humid, and large storm clouds moving into the area. Sandy and I were on the phone when the thunder and lightening started, and I said I had to get the kids inside before the storm fully hit us. (Our kids were in grade school at this time.)

Well, about an hour or so later, having clear skies and the storm moving elsewhere, Sandy called me back and excitedly told me the following:

"Mary, you will not believe this! I have a miracle here. You just won't believe this."

I was curious and could tell from her high-pitched voice that Sandy was sincere. Because of her excitement, I couldn't completely understand what she was telling me, and besides, I had told her the kids and I would be out to help pull weeds in our share of the huge vegetable garden we'd all planted in late spring.

When I arrived, Sandy was waiting for me at the door and said I had to hurry in to behold the miracle before it disappeared! We walked into the family room where her ironing board was set up near the edge of the fireplace. A radio was sitting on the mantle, a half-ironed item on the board, and the iron appropriately standing awaiting completion of the task. You see, it seems that when the storm hit she was in the midst of ironing, and she unplugged the iron and radio so they wouldn't possibly get zapped by lightening.

"Where's the miracle?" I asked.

"Right THERE, Mary!" Sandy said as she pointed to the radio. "I unplugged it and it just kept playing."

I started laughing uncontrollably. She was not impressed and took that familiar stance of hers, and that look on her face.....we all know that pose....and that look!!!!!

"Sandy, did you check to see if there are batteries in the radio?" I asked.

"Oh!.......ahhhh.......NO I didn't" she replied as she simultaneously grabbed the radio off the mantle.

For a long time after that I'd ask if she'd witnessed any more miracles. I had promised I wouldn't tell a soul about this "event."

And now that she's gone.........I wanted to share just one typical moment of being around Sandy. There was never a dull moment when she was around. She was so sincere about the above episode, and yet, in time, we laughed about this many times. Now that I think of it, I'm not really sure she ever told Hutch about it. Doesn't matter. He's probably got a LOT more stories similar to this to share about Sandy and her ability to laugh at herself (of course, after the fact).

We had a lot of laughs with Sandy and Hutch. She will be missed.

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Linda K - Jan 16, 2007

Thank you Mary for writng this beautiful memorial of Sandy, for she truly will be so missed. She touched so many of our lives in one way or another. Thank you for introducing us, doesn't seem possible that it was that many years ago that you brought Sandy into my life (early 80's). Sandy was there to help me with ideas of how to find my birth family, you knew she had already gone through this and would be a great insight. And she was. Thanks to you and Sandy and another friend, I found my "birth family". When both my brothers and sister and family came to visit, I made sure we went to Hutches Ice Cream Parlour so she could meet them! I just wish it had not been a sad one for Sandy, her birth mother does not know what she missed!! Sandy had a smile that would shine for miles, and as I remember her, I will remember her singing now amongst the angels...

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