Betty Jean Sandy entered into the eternal life promised through her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on Sunday, May 25, 2025.
She died in the only place she ever hoped to be – surrounded in love by her family.
Betty was born December 20, 1938, to Philomena and James Schleicher and attended Cathedral Grade School and Notre Dame Academy, where she made many lifelong friends. She worked for years at Scott Air Force Base as an administrative assistant and as a reliable editor to officers who needed an extra check on their spelling and grammar. Betty did this while also fostering children, maintaining an active role in the Cathedral Mother’s Club, including a term as president, and volunteering as a Den Mother for the Scouts.
On July 12, 1986, she married Joseph Sandy and transitioned to her second career as “Grandma B.” Betty kept active in the upbringing of her grandchildren by keeping them steeped in love and sharing with them the simpler pleasures of life like cold Italian Ice, Jello cheesecake, and fresh strawberries with sugar. Every Easter, she dyed eggs for their baskets and each Christmas she stained their tongues and lips green with her famous marshmallow-and-cornflake hollie leaves. When college and the military put miles between them, she mastered the use of Facetime to stay in touch and remind them to “Let the Sunshine In.”
Betty was a faithful member of St. Henry’s Parish in Belleville. She enjoyed quilting, playing games with family at the kitchen table, memory games on her smartphone and “running the table” with her extraordinarily lucky hand at bingo.
Awaiting Betty’s arrival in Heaven were her parents; brothers, James Schleicher and Charles Schleicher; sisters, Marie Shaab and Rosemarie Schleicher; and bonus grandchildren, Emily Morris and Adam Guadalupe.
Holding onto her memory in this life are her beloved husband, Joe; son, Mark Quinn (Debbie) of St. Louis, Mo.; daughters, Mary Kreher (Joel Erwin), of Belleville, and Michelle Eschman (Todd) of Swansea; grandson, Jonathan Kreher (Ashley) of Virginia Beach, VA.; granddaughters, Hollie Kreher, Chicago, IL, Sydney Eschman of Springfield, MO, and Mia Eschman of Swansea. Betty also is survived by her nephews and nieces and many friends.
She also will be dearly missed by extended “bonus family.” They include Debra Miele (Joe) of East Stroudsburg, PA, Colleen Sandy of Palm Bay, FL, Kathleen Morris (Greg), of Rochester, NY, Tim Sandy of Seffner, FL, and their children; Donald Stevens (Katie), James Stevens, and Jack Stevens, all of St. Louis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Parkinson Disease Association. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may visit from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL, and 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, May 29, 2025, at St. Henry Catholic Church, Belleville, IL.
Funeral: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 29, 2025, at St. Henry Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, with Rev. Kenneth York officiating.
Burial will be at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, IL.
