G. Dorothy Sandsted

Memorial Services for G. Dorothy Sandsted will be held on Friday, April 1, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Chaplain Kathy Doiel officiating.  Private family inurnment will be in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.

Grace "Dorothy" (Elm) Sandsted, 100 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at the Holdrege Memorial Homes.  She was born November 13, 1915 on the family farm north of Funk, Nebraska in Phelps County, the eighth child born to Elmer and Clara (Carlson) Elm.

Dorothy's mother was two years old when she immigrated to America from Aster Jutland, Sweden with her parents, Eric and Clara Carlson and siblings. They settled on a homestead south of what was later to be Axtell, Nebraska in 1877. Dorothy learned piano as a young girl and she especially enjoyed history and has been known to say, "Beautiful music and Bible study have helped me through life."

Dorothy attended District #7 rural school and graduated from Holdrege High School in 1934. She attended Kearney Teacher's College for one term and was a rural school teacher in District #6 for three terms. She spent a year in Los Angeles, California and returned to teach three additional terms at District #7.

On May 10, 1942, Dorothy was united in marriage to Wesley Sandsted at Fairmont, Nebraska with Wesley's brother, Pastor Raymond Sandsted officiating. Two sons were born to this union: Gary Wayne and Brent Edward. The family made their home on what was known as the Alfred Sandsted farmstead, southeast of Holdrege, where they engaged in farming until retirement.

Dorothy was a past member of the Fridhem Lutheran Church of Funk and the First United Methodist Church of Holdrege, where she was active in the Methodist Women and Sunday school. In later years, she was active with the Holdrege congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

While on the farm, she was a member of the Neighbors Prairie Club until it was disbanded. She was also a member of the Farm Bureau Women and a den mother in cub scouting. In retirement, she was a volunteer at Holdrege Memorial Homes for 10 years and a member of the Mother's Club.

Wesley and Dorothy retired from farming in 1976 and moved to Holdrege in December of 1979. They celebrated their 65 ^th Wedding Anniversary in May of 2007, while living at Holdrege Memorial Homes. Wesley passed away on September 3, 2009.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her son, Gary Sandsted and his wife, Carol of Grand Island, Nebraska; two grandsons: Todd Sandsted of Lincoln, Nebraska and David Sandsted and his wife, Heather of Grand Island; two great-grandsons:  Russell and Scott Sandsted of Grand Island; sister-in-law, Gwen Sandsted of Freeville, New York; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Brent Sandsted; and seven brothers: LeRoy in infancy, Chester, Eugene, Jesse, Harry, Ralph, and Russell Elm.

Memorial Book Signing will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Dorothy's honor and kindly suggested to the Holdrege Memorial Homes or the donor's choice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.