Sandra ‘Sandy” L. Thompson, 75, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Dec. 29, 2024, at Froedtert Hospital.
Sandy was born in Wausau, on Dec. 30, 1948, to Walter and Leah (Dupuis) Voeltner. She graduated from Pacelli Catholic High School in 1967 and went on to earn an associate’s degree in business. She married the love of her life, the late William R. Thompson, on Sept. 25, 1969. They spent their first years of marriage in the Wausau area before being stationed in North Carolina where she gave birth to their first daughter, Jennifer, in September of 1971. They eventually returned to the Wausau area and had their second daughter, Elizabeth, in May 1976. In 1981 they moved to Burlington, where they raised their family and built a wonderful foundation of friends.
Sandy wore many hats during her life. She survived Breast Cancer in 1986, she lovingly raised her two daughters, and she supported her friends and family in every way she could. She co-owned Buttonwillow, a boutique in Burlington, with two dear friends. She created all sorts of beautiful crafts and home decor items with her husband, Bill. They traveled all over the state to craft and artisan fairs, making many friends along the way. Sandy also worked at a Podiatry office and eventually became a travel agent, a job she loved. She traveled all over the US and the globe with Bill and often, their best friends, Rich and Kathy Andrejewski. Alaska, Scotland, Panama, Jerusalem, and Bar Harbor were some of her favorite trips. She and Bill spent several of their later years traveling in their beloved “bus”, an RV that they took across the country, visiting historical sites, supporting their grandchildren at trap shooting events, and experiencing the country they loved.
A skilled maker, Sandy’s knitting talent was legendary. She knit everything from custom felt diaper bags, to purses, to hats, shawls, blankets, and oodles of adorable critters and dolls for her beloved grandchildren, great nieces and nephews, and the many other munchkins that she loved throughout the years. Even when her hands failed her and she could no longer hold the needles, she found knitting machines that allowed her to continue to make her love-filled gifts for everyone in her life. She was the epitome of a fairy tale grandma – baking cookies, doling out hugs, and supporting her grandchildren in all their adventures, sports, and performances.
Sandy was known as a kind, generous, strong, and loving woman and she will be deeply missed by all who had the fortune to know her.
Sandy is survived by her daughters Jennifer (Chris) Cammers and Elizabeth (Rob) Mueller; grandchildren Olivia, Riley, and Delaney Cammers, and Abby and Leah Mueller; sister Marlene (Gary) Seavy; sister-in-law Laura (Bruce) Phillips; aunt Jayne Gibbs; nieces and nephews Tim (Traci) Seavy, Rachel (Jaysun) Frisch, Mandy Mayek, Kate (Mike) Burrows, and Andrew (Mary) Phillips; and several great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Walter and Leah Voeltner, her in-laws William and Louise Thompson, sister-in-law Cathy Thompson, and Uncle Tom Gibbs.
A celebration of Sandy’s life will be held at Integrity Celebration Center, 2789 Browns Lake Dr., Burlington, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. Open house visitation will begin at 1 p.m. until time of service at 2:50 p.m. Sandra will be laid to rest at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 21731 Spring St., Union Grove.
The family would like to thank all the staff in the CVICU at Froedtert for their compassion and care, and the many friends and family who supported us all during this difficult time.
Services are entrusted to Integrity Funeral Services. Well-wishers may visit www.integrityfunerals.net.
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