FAMILY FUN – Crystal Johns holds her son Zayne , 2, as she follows her son Ezekiel, 4, up an inflatable slide Saturday at Xoots Elementary School during the annual Spring Carnival. The event included games, prizes, cotton candy, and karaoke. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Rep. Rebecca Himschoot says in the discussion on educ [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Song, dance and a cast of school-aged actors will brin [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Don’t talk to people claiming to be from Medicare o [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives voted Wednesday to allow comp [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dismissed an appeal filed by [ ... ]
Mr. Whitekeys
In Sitka to Tell
Gold Rush Tale
Sitka Historical Society and Museum will present ‘‘Th [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 17
At 9:08 a.m. a transformer was r [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The threat of major cutbacks to the subsistence socke [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With the first vote on the city budget for fiscal yea [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
In the final day of play in the recreational division City League volleyball [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Three amateur athletes from Sitka were among tens of [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A proposal to require Alaska schools to keep opioid-overdose-r [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Kobuk River, which flows out of the Brooks Range above [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 16
At 8:07 a.m. a woman [ ... ]
Presentation On
Medicare, SS
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and Cynthia Gibson, CFP®, an [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Musicians from Sitka High and Mt. Edgecumbe High scho [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Whether you enjoy scaling mountains, walking in the p [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Two-time Alpine Adventure Run winner Chris Brenk cont [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee expanded a [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS and
CLAIRE STREMPLE
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 15
A protective order was issued at 1 [ ... ]
Chamber Speaker
Event Wednesday
The Chamber of Commerce speaker series will continue noon Wednesday at [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
From high costs and low availability to challenges sur [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A number of participants at Thursday’s community me [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sandra Ruth Cotter
Sandra Ruth Cotter was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 2, 1943, and left this life in Palmer, Alaska, on May 11, with her children and her sisters by her side.
She had fought a heroic battle against lung cancer, her strength of spirit and gratitude making her a sweetheart to all the medical personnel. They were always happy to see her walk in that door.
Sandy led an adventurous life, growing up with her sister Christine, the daughters of Patricia Jane (Hays) Cotter and, U,S. Army Lt. Colonel Walter A. Cotter, 101st Airborne, a Battle of The Bulge Veteran.
The family moved wherever the Army sent them, finally settling in Seattle.
In 1959, Sandy moved to Pelican when her stepfather William Carr took a job with Pelican Cold Storage. There began her love of Alaska; life’s events led her back to Alaska. She had itchy feet, however, and was forever moving between Juneau, Sitka and Palmer.
She loved to garden, to hike, to camp and hunt, and was always spiritually connected to nature and the outdoors.
What many of her friends might not know about was Sandy’s love of music and her award-winning dancing with Arthur Murray Studios. She was also a very talented artist.
Those who were fortunate to know Sandy, knew that her deep affections were reserved for those she held dear, her family said, “and if you were one of those, you were fortunate indeed. She was a steadfast friend, mother and sister.
“We will miss her.”
True to her nature, Sandy wanted to go on one more adventure. By her request the family and any of those who wish to make the journey will meet at 9 a.m. July 31 at the trailhead to hike Mt. Verstovia, to set her free to ride the winds of Southeast Alaska. Her mother Patricia Carr will be traveling with her.
The family also invites friends to a small gathering at the Halibut Point Recreation Area at 1 p.m. August 1.
Sandra is survived by her daughters, Carey Dickenson Smith and Danyelle Brooks Williams, both of Palmer; her son David Dickenson of Tennessee; her adopted daughter Dana Vargo of Palmer; and her sisters, Christine Grant Swanson of Sitka, and Cindy Carr Moyer of Petersburg.
Her nieces and nephews, Gordon, Bill and Ange Grant of Sitka, and Brannon and Cub Finney of Petersburg; grandchildren Rachel, Hilary and Hunter Thomas, and Skai and Shey Williams; cousins, the Hays Brothers (Larry, Guy and David) of Juneau; and numerous family members in the Port Gamble-Poulsbo area of Washington, also survive.
She was proceeded in death by her grandson Trey VanEpps, her father Walter H. Cotter; and her mother and stepfather, Patricia and William Carr.
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20 YEARS AGO
April 2004
Photo caption: Sen. Lisa Murkowski talks with students in Karoline Bekeris’ fourth-grade class Thursday at the Westmark Shee Atika. From left are Murkowski, Kelsey Boussom, Laura Quinn and Memito Diaz.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1974
A medley of songs from “Jesus Christ Superstar” will highlight the morning worship service on Palm Sunday at the United Methodist Church. Musicians will be Paige Garwood and Karl Hartman on guitars; Dan Goodness on organ; and Gayle Erickson on drums.