Sandra A. Thinnes

Sandra A. Thinnes, 71, of Cozad, formerly of Grand Island, died Tuesday, November 13, 2018, at Cozad Care & Rehabilitation Center in Cozad.



Services will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Martin Egging will officiate. Burial will be in the Parkview Cemetery in Hastings, Nebraska.



Visitation will be Sunday, November 18th from 4 to 6 P.M. with a 6 P.M. vigil service at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island.



Sandra “Sandy” Ann Thinnes was born November 22, 1946, at Hastings, Nebraska to George M. and Maxine C. (May) Thinnes. Sandy’s parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her foster family.



She grew up and received her education in Hastings.



Sandy was united in marriage to Edward J. Long in 1962, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island, Nebraska. The couple made their home in Columbus, Primrose and later moved to Grand Island. Sandy worked for approximately 29 years in housekeeping and food service at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island.



Sandy loved her sugar mints and the occasional cigarette, but most of all, loved baking and decorating cookies along with her grandchildren on holidays. She would go on many walks to enjoy nature’s surroundings, including watching the birds and butterflies fly about. She had a love for music, often singing and dancing along, but was also entertained by Steve Harvey’s “show me…” Family Feud! Above all else, Sandy would do anything to help her family be strong.



Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Kevin Topinka of Cozad; a son, Clifton Long of Columbus; grandsons, Alex Long, Austin Long and Cody Topinka; a granddaughter and her husband, Kayla and Alex Paul, great-grandchildren, Josie and Kendrick; one brother and sister-in-law, Lee and Carol Thinnes of Otis, Colorado; and one sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Richard Rutt of Olympia, Washington.



She was preceded in death by her parents.