PLEASANTON — Sandra Sue “Sandy” Nicklasson, 56, of Pleasanton died Monday, May 9, 2016, at her home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Lutheran Church in Kearney with the Rev. John Gosswein officiating. Burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney is in charge of the arrangements.

Sandy was born in Holdrege on March 7, 1960, to John and Alfreda (Cotton) Anderson. She grew up in Holdrege and attended Holdrege High School. She enjoyed spending many summers at her grandparents Gladys and Alfred Cotton’s farm near Bartley. At the farm, she loved playing marbles on the homemade marble board, which she later passed along as a family tradition.

Sandy married Robert “Nick” Nicklasson on Saturday, Sept. 1, 1984, at First Lutheran Church in Kearney. Sandy and Nick were married for 32 years and together they enjoyed spoiling their nieces and nephew, taking trips to watch basketball games, participating in softball tournaments and hitting rounds of golf at the Prairie Hills Golf Course near their home.

Children always had a special place in Sandy’s heart. Upon moving to Kearney, she owned and operated a day care in her home where she cared for many special children whom she thought of as family. Sandy was a dedicated member of Pleasanton United Methodist Church and spent much time volunteering for the Kids for Christ and vacation Bible school programs. “Miss Sandy” devoted countless hours preparing perfect crafts for the children’s programs and cared deeply about all children — especially the rowdy ones. Sandy was an exceptional crafter whom you could often find crocheting in her comfy chair in her spare time.

Sandy cherished her role as a wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend and will be remembered for her kind and giving heart. She was the constant cheerleader and caretaker to everyone who knew her. Her infectious smile and laugh will be missed greatly.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Alfred and Gladys Cotton; beloved sister, Paula Abramson; and parents-in-law, Elwin and Lois Nicklasson.

Survivors include her loving husband, Nick of Pleasanton; mother and stepfather, Alfreda and Gary Branson of Pottsboro, Texas; father, John Anderson of Seattle; sisters, Karen Drake of Las Vegas and Jill and Jocelyn of Washington; brother, Jay Anderson of Washington; brothers-in-law and spouses, Tom Abramson of Gothenburg, Tom and Jean Nicklasson of Webster City, Iowa, and Jim and Lorrie Nicklasson of St. Edward; sisters-in-law, Connie Nicklasson of Aurora and Donna and husband Ron Blase of Grand Island; nephew, Aaron Abramson of Kearney; nieces, Ashley Abramson of Lincoln, Alexandra Abramson of Houston, Amanda Drake of Las Vegas, Brittany and Alexa Blase of Grand Island, Jayme and Kiel Neumann of San Bruno, Calif., and Lea and Luke Ahrens of Ames, Iowa; grandnieces and grandnephews, Jada Neumann and Mavryk and Gage Ahrens; along with a large extended loving family and dear friends.