Sandra Jo (Gunderson) Karlin, 67 passed peacefully in her sleep of natural causes on November 21, 2020. Sandy was born on November 25, 1952 in Brookings, South Dakota to Wallace Al and Deloris Ardis (Hammer) Gunderson. She lived her first eleven years in Madison, South Dakota. In 1963 she moved with her family to Rapid City, South Dakota. There she attended South Canyon grade school, West Junior High, and she graduated with honors from Stevens High School in 1971.

While at Stevens High School she was a member of the symphonic band, the marching band, and was elected the first ever band queen. She was selected for and participated in the "All-State Band" of South Dakota. Sandy was also a member of Job's Daughters Bethel 39 and served as Honored Queen both Junior and Senior years of high school.

After high school she attended the University of South Dakota. While in attendance there she was a member of the marching band and was president of her pledge class at Kappa Alpha Theta. She graduated from the university with a B.S. Degree in computer science. Prior to graduation she was recruited by IBM and moved from South Dakota to Colorado to pursue a career in computer technology. Where she became one of the first women to work in the heavily male dominated field.

In 1984 she married Gary Robert Karlin in Denver, Colorado. They went on to have 3 wonderful children. Sandy was a devoted and loving mother. She taught each of her children about the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus from a very young age. While her children were young she would take them to church almost every Sunday. Christmas and Easter always included attending church and a lesson from her about how each one was intended to be celebrated with Christ at the center of it.

Sandy was always an exceptional student and an avid reader inside the classroom and out. She worked tirelessly to homeschool all three of her children in a time when that idea went against the norm. While homeschooling she was an Awana's leader at Foothills Bible Church and Ken Caryl Baptist Church both located in Littleton, Colorado. Her children also participated in these same Awana's Bible Verse memorization clubs. Sandy also initiated, organized, and taught in her local KONOS curriculum unit study co-op group.

In 1998 her children were enrolled in Christian Fellowship School in Lakewood, Colorado, and she became the computer technologies teacher there for student's kindergarten through the twelfth grade.

After teaching for a year at Christian Fellowship School she went on to work for; Qwest Communications in Denver, Colorado, Great West Life Insurance in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Blue Cross Blue Shield in Jackson, Mississippi, Axway Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Northern Trust in Tempe, Arizona. She was currently employed at Northern Trust when she passed. For most of her career she held positions that were in the fields of information technology and computer security.

Sandy was a talented piano player and an amazing piano teacher. She taught all of her children how to play the piano and instilled a love for music in each of them.

She also had a passion for downhill skiing, and she ensured that each one of her children had the opportunity to learn and love the sport just as much as she did.

Sandy loved her family very much and made sure they knew it every day. She devoted herself to being the best mom she could be. She often sacrificed her needs for her children's wants. Many summers while her children were growing up were spent in the Black Hills of South Dakota. She looked forward every year to spending quality time with her mother, father, brother, sister, children and the whole Gunderson clan at the cabin in Sand Creek, Wyoming. She found excitement taking road trips with Gary and her children and made a game out of finding the lessons inside of each adventure.

Sandy looked forward to the holidays each year and loved all the festivities that come along with them. Most years were marked by the tingle and excitement of the season which could be found simply by being in her presence. Her sparkle will be missed a little bit more during this time of
year.

The light of her later years was her grandson Gaige Geiser. She thought the world of him. They absolutely adored each other and spent countless hours being silly with each other over video call.

Sandy had a beautiful soul with a heart for helping people and a thirst for knowledge that was unlike any other. She had her own unique vision of the world and her lifestyle of preparedness made it obvious that she was planning to be around for a very long time. Her grace, beauty and unconditional love will be forever missed by her children, grandchild, mother, brother, sister and anyone else who had the privilege of knowing her.

Her mother especially enjoyed their sometimes long talks each evening and will miss them immensely.

Sandra is survived by her mother, Deloris (Dee) Gunderson of Rapid City; brother, Sam Gunderson and fiancé, Sheri Bain of Rapid City; sister, Joan Gunderson and husband Jack Stanfa of Highlands Ranch, CO; daughter, Rebecca Karlin and husband Rome Walsh of Englewood, CO; son, Gregory Karlin of Littleton, CO; son, Erik Karlin of Denver, CO; grandson, Gaige Geiser of Englewood, CO; Uncle Wynn and wife Lorraine Gunderson of Rapid City; niece, Elizabeth Farmer and husband Jeff of Littleton, CO; nephew, Adam Gunderson and wife Liz; nieces: Courtney and Hannah Gunderson, Nephew J. Hunter Gunderson, and great niece Jocelyn Fischer, all of Phoenix, AZ; along with other aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, Wallace (Wally) Gunderson; two sisters: Jean and Susan Gunderson; grandparents, Merle and Esther Gunderson and by her nephew, Andrew Gunderson.

Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 P.M. on Monday December 7, 2020 at Osheim and Schmidt Funeral Home.

Memorial services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday December 8, 2020 at the funeral home.

Interment will immediately follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Rapid City.

A memorial is being established in her honor.

Family and close friends are invited to join us for the services and celebration of Sandy's life. Please be aware we will be following all suggested Covid-19 protocols to help ensure the health and safety of all in attendance.  For those not able to attend the funeral service it may be viewed after at: https://www.osheimschmidt.com/obituary/sandra-karlin