Evelyn 'Sandy' Finnes
d. October 11, 2017
Evelyn Carol ‘Sandy’ Finnes was born on December 4, 1924, in Cottonwood, MN, the daughter of Oscar H. and Clara (Moseng) Sandbaken. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and graduated from high school in Cottonwood, MN.
‘Sandy’ attended St. Barnabas School of Nursing in Minneapolis, MN and received her RN in 1943. She remained at St. Barnabas Hospital as an RN in the surgical unit for two years. She then moved back to Cottonwood where she was united in marriage to James Finnes on April 1, 1950.
‘Sandy’ began working as a full time nurse at the newly opened Granite Falls Municipal Hospital where she was responsible for setting up the entire surgical unit. Following her many years of service at the Granite Falls Municipal Hospital, ‘Sandy’ took a position at Rice Memorial Hospital’s surgical unit and also taught LPN courses at the Willmar Vo-Tech. She retired in 1986.
‘Sandy’ was an active member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church, participating in numerous church related activities including choir, WELCA, Ladies Aid and quilting. She was also very active in serving the community of Granite Falls including teaching the 55 Alive classes for many years. She was extremely proud of her Norwegian heritage and active in researching her family genealogy. ‘Sandy’ was a member of the Sons of Norway and the Gudbrandalslaget Organization. She was also instrumental in establishing the Granite Falls Stay-at-Home Block Nursing program.
Among ‘Sandy’s’ other interests, she loved sewing, knitting, embroidering, baking bread, gardening, canning, making homemade soap and spinning wool from their sheep. She also loved photography and had her own dark room for processing her film.
‘Sandy’ was called peacefully from this life while under hospice care at the Fitzgerald Nursing Home in Eveleth, MN on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. She was 92 years of age.
Surviving family include her husband Jim Finnes, now residing in Eveleth, MN; her children- Steven (& Linda) Finnes of Lakeville, MN, Martha Kelce of Centennial, CO, Sara (& Doug) Palazzari of Gilbert, MN, Mary Beth (& Nick) Molle of Estes Park, CO and Amy (& Tim) Tacheny of Richmond, IL; 12 grandchildren- Angie, Evan, Laura, Blake, Whitney, Stephanie, Morgan, Drew, Lauren, Claire, Rachel & Andy; 4 great grandchildren- Aidan, Anika, Ruby & Finley; extended family and many dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son James Mark Finnes and one brother Gordon Sandbaken.
‘Sandy’ attended St. Barnabas School of Nursing in Minneapolis, MN and received her RN in 1943. She remained at St. Barnabas Hospital as an RN in the surgical unit for two years. She then moved back to Cottonwood where she was united in marriage to James Finnes on April 1, 1950.
‘Sandy’ began working as a full time nurse at the newly opened Granite Falls Municipal Hospital where she was responsible for setting up the entire surgical unit. Following her many years of service at the Granite Falls Municipal Hospital, ‘Sandy’ took a position at Rice Memorial Hospital’s surgical unit and also taught LPN courses at the Willmar Vo-Tech. She retired in 1986.
‘Sandy’ was an active member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church, participating in numerous church related activities including choir, WELCA, Ladies Aid and quilting. She was also very active in serving the community of Granite Falls including teaching the 55 Alive classes for many years. She was extremely proud of her Norwegian heritage and active in researching her family genealogy. ‘Sandy’ was a member of the Sons of Norway and the Gudbrandalslaget Organization. She was also instrumental in establishing the Granite Falls Stay-at-Home Block Nursing program.
Among ‘Sandy’s’ other interests, she loved sewing, knitting, embroidering, baking bread, gardening, canning, making homemade soap and spinning wool from their sheep. She also loved photography and had her own dark room for processing her film.
‘Sandy’ was called peacefully from this life while under hospice care at the Fitzgerald Nursing Home in Eveleth, MN on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. She was 92 years of age.
Surviving family include her husband Jim Finnes, now residing in Eveleth, MN; her children- Steven (& Linda) Finnes of Lakeville, MN, Martha Kelce of Centennial, CO, Sara (& Doug) Palazzari of Gilbert, MN, Mary Beth (& Nick) Molle of Estes Park, CO and Amy (& Tim) Tacheny of Richmond, IL; 12 grandchildren- Angie, Evan, Laura, Blake, Whitney, Stephanie, Morgan, Drew, Lauren, Claire, Rachel & Andy; 4 great grandchildren- Aidan, Anika, Ruby & Finley; extended family and many dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son James Mark Finnes and one brother Gordon Sandbaken.
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