Sandra Jean (Burke) Tucker, 82, passed away Saturday, June 26, after a brief battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The youngest daughter of the late James and Elizabeth Burke, Sandy was born in Clinton, Iowa, on May 17, 1939.

Her dad, James, made his living as a concrete superintendent and worked on such projects as Fort Randall Dam near Pickstown, South Dakota, and the St. Lawrence Seaway near Massena, New York. Consequently, she spent her childhood in many towns across the U.S.

Sandy spent most of her formative years in Pickstown, South Dakota, a government town for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' employees. Always an avid reader, upon entering the small town's library, she determined she would read every book on the shelves! She sold tickets at the movie theatre, where she also frequently caught one family's pet raccoons. She also worked at the drugstore, where she earned the nickname "Sandy the Soda Jerk" (given by Pickstown's most famous former resident, Tom Brokaw). She enjoyed ice skating on Lake Andes and developed a love of fishing during many summers on that lake, a hobby she later enjoyed with her husband, Terry, in Canada and on Lake Huron.

Before her senior year of high school, Sandy's family moved to Brasher Falls, New York, where her dad worked on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Despite only living there a year, Sandy made dear friends in New York and remained close with them throughout the years.

Sandy happily enjoyed a condition known as bibliophilia, which contributed to her success at Indiana University, Bloomington, where she graduated with degrees in English Literature and a Master of Arts for Teachers in French Literature. She also spent a summer at Wells College in Ithaca, NY, studying at the Foreign Language Institute, and a summer in France.

Upon graduating from I.U. Sandy began her 33-year career as a high school English and French teacher, first at New Haven High school, then at IPFW, and last at Concordia Lutheran High School. Sandy taught with joy and creativity, which she shared not only with her students but with her colleagues as well.

One year, early in her teaching career, she offered to serve as judge at the high school speech meets. It was at one of these events in Warsaw, IN, that she first met her husband of nearly 56 years, Terry, a speech, drama, and English teacher at Howe Military school.

Booklover, crossword and sudoku puzzle connoisseur, gardener, chef and baker, mother of three, grandmother to seven, Sandy never knew boredom. She was a very active member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) serving in many capacities for decades, a member of the New Haven United Methodist Church choir for many years, and a generous lender of time and support to all who needed it her entire life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her big brother, Jerry, who once saved her from an angry rooster and later that day served her roast chicken for dinner; and sister, Arliss, who equally doted on and spoiled her and her children. Her brilliant and bright smile, her patience, wit, dry sense of humor, and, above all, belief in kindness and respect will be sorely missed by her husband, Terry; her daughters Erica Tucker (Joe Velazquez) of Easton, MA, Danielle Matuschka (Tom) of Natchitoches, LA, and Nicole White (Steve) of Granville, OH; her grandchildren Marceli, Tom, Lucy, Gabe, Henry, Eliana and Jia; her nephew, Marc; and her many friends and former students.

The family will receive friends for the visitation on Saturday, July 3, beginning at 12pm at Fairhaven Funeral Home, 6557 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN, where a memorial service will begin at 2pm, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to AAUW, Ft. Wayne (IN) Branch Scholarship Fund or the Allen County Public Library. Donations for AAUW may be sent to AAUW Fort Wayne Trust, In care of Barbara Kanning, 1573 Tallgrass Trail, Fort Wayne, IN 46804.