Sandy LaMaack

1944 - 2015

Sandy LaMaack
April 19, 1944 - December 11, 2015
Saratoga
Sandy LaMaack of Saratoga passed away on December 11, 2015 at the age of 71. She was surrounded by her family.
A beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Sandy will be remembered for her bright spirit, twinkling eyes and love of laughter.
Sandy (Dodson) was the daughter of Herman Henry Dodson and Mary Lou Woodward of Dinuba, California. She had an identical twin sister Wanda Rush, who passed away in 2009, and a brother, Herman Dodson, Jr., who passed in 1973. She is survived by her sister Linda Essepian. Sandy attended Dinuba High School and graduated in 1964. She came to the Bay Area in the sixties and made it her lifelong home. She had three children — Jeff, Denise and Brett — and lost her first husband in 1974. She was a Mom and homemaker for over fifty years.
Sandy married Jim LaMaack in 1976 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Together, Sandy and Jim raised their combined family of six children at their home in Saratoga. Sandy and the home she made remained the center of activity for this large and growing family even as the children grew up and began their own lives. The family gathered regularly over the years to celebrate engagements, grandchildren, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. Christmas Eve dinner (complete with White Elephant) and the annual Easter Egg hunt were family favorites. (There may still be eggs on the property awaiting discovery.)
Sandy loved spending time with Jim and joining him at activities like Hot August Nights and Santa Cruz Classic Car Show. The couple traveled the world together, and visited Australia and South America. Sandy and Jim loved going to casinos together and visiting friends in Alaska and Arizona. On long road trips, Jim would drive and Sandy was his navigator.
Sandy is survived by her devoted husband of nearly forty years, James LaMaack; their children: Theresa Lubsen, James (Lisa) LaMaack, Jeff Mitchell, Karen (James) Burke, Denise (Steve Muller) Mitchell, JoAnn LaMaack, and Brett (Kristin) Mitchell; grandchildren: James LaMaack, Jr., Jessica (Justin) Lynam, Emma Mitchell, Morgan Burke, Shannon Scroggins, Andrew Lubsen and Nicholas (Rebecca) Adam. Her loving spirit, generosity and sparkling personality will be forever missed.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 19, 11:00 am at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 12770 Saratoga Ave. Saratoga.
Burial will be at Los Gatos Memorial Park, 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Rd., San Jose. At Sandy's request, her twin sister Wanda Rush will be placed beside her.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Sandy's name to the National Ataxia Foundation, www.ataxia.org.


View the online memorial for Sandy LaMaack