The Lord came to the home of Sandra Lee Tannahill on Thursday night, March 14, 2013, and gently and peacefully carried her home. She was 66 years old.
Sandy was born Dec. 15, 1946, to Betty Weholt in Portland, Ore. Throughout her childhood years, she and her siblings, Carol, Larry and Jack, spent summers in Weippe, where her mother and aunts and uncle worked in the forestry camps.
In 1962, she met and married Gary Marek, whom she later divorced after her fourth child.
In 1970, she met and married Ray Tannahill of Lewiston, and had her two youngest children. They were married 10 years.
Sandy spent much of her life living throughout the Northwest in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, with some time in Canada, Nevada and California as well. But she always called Idaho "home," and always returned after being away for extended periods of time. In fact, her final trip home to Idaho was made last year in September. She was happy to be home.
Sandy was known to be a very strong and independent woman. She spent many years independently raising her children and working long hours at many jobs. She was an entrepreneur and a leader. She stood up and did what needed to be done, no matter the challenge. She was an adventurer, who rallied women to raft the Snake River every year without men! She parked a perfectly good car in Clarkston one summer, just for the adventure of hitchhiking to Portland for a family reunion with her daughter, Jackie, and friend Jan. They made it, sunburned, to Portland and home again. You never knew what to expect from Sandy Tannahill. She inspired many with her courageous spirit.
Sandy enjoyed camping and fishing much of her life. Her latest years were spent focused on her children and grandchildren, moving where she felt she was needed, until she was needed elsewhere. She fiercely stood by her children.
Sandy was baptized in the Snake River on Aug. 26, 2009.
Sandy was preceded in death by her mother, Betty Weholt, and daughter Jackie Wren. She is survived by her sons, Chris Marek, Terry Tannahill and Shane Tannahill; and daughters Shelly Marek and Tammy Tannahill; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
As Sandy has said over the years, this is not the end; she's just begun a new chapter
A service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Malcolm's Funeral Home, 1711 18th St., Lewiston, followed by a graveside service at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The family would like to welcome all to a reception at 1221 Airway Ave., following the graveside service.
