Sandra Pauline "Sandy" LaFratta

Sandra "Sandy" Pauline LaFratta November 13, 1952 – August 23, 2024
Sandra "Sandy" LaFratta (nee Schaaf), 71, of Waukesha went to be in the arms of Jesus on Friday, August 23, 2024, surrounded by family.
Born in Milwaukee to Paul and Doris Schaaf in 1952 she was the oldest of six siblings. She was the most caring and protective big sister and considered her sisters and brother her best friends.
Sandy worked at Allen Bradley for 13 years and also worked various waitressing jobs before taking on her favorite role, one she excelled at- Grandma. She is affectionately referred to as "Grandma Hop Hop" and "Grandma Kitty" by her grandchildren due to her love of animals and feeding the neighborhood wildlife, including the bunnies that "hop hop" through the yard.
While she would never admit it, Sandy is extremely talented when it comes to sewing, drawing and painting, furniture refinishing and upholstery. She loved antiques and has an expansive and impressive collection of items she refurbished on her own. She never met a drippy faucet she couldn't fix and waged a war against dandelions and other unsightly weeds in her yard- she won. Sandy loved rummage sales and shopping at Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul. She would refer to these as her favorite stores.
It is a known fact that Sandy enjoyed her cigarettes and coffee while watching her favorite TV station- PBS. She was an animal lover and a vegetarian for nearly 50 years and would not hesitate to tell you that she did not believe in "eating my friends"- the animals. Sandy was on board with "reduce, reuse, recycle" before it was the cool or normal thing to do. She was conscious of the environment and taught her children and grandchildren not to be "litter bugs". To honor her wishes of being kind to the environment, Sandy will have a green burial.
Sandy will be dearly missed by her devoted husband of 44 years Dennis LaFratta, loving children Robin (Ryan) Sliga, Amy LaFratta, Angelo (Tricia) LaFratta, her adoring grandchildren Gabrielle and Zachary Sliga, and Jayce and Luca LaFratta, her best friends: sisters Cathy Ruehmer, Marcia (Karl) Strommen, Mary (Bill) Piotrowski, brother Craig Schaaf, brother-in-law Rick Kasper, her loyal furry companion: her cat, Loretta. Also, many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Sandy is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Doris Schaaf, her father and mother-in-law, Earl and Violet Tinnes, sister Bonnie Kasper, brothers-in-law, David Ruehmer and Clark Christensen, sister-in-law Bernice Christensen, and nephew Nathaniel Piotrowski.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at CHURCH AND CHAPEL FUNERAL HOME, 380 Bluemound Rd, Waukesha, WI from 9:30AM until time of the Funeral Service at 11AM. Burial at Prairie Home cemetery to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Sandy's honor to St. Vincent de Paul Society or Misfit Felines, Stoughton, WI for which her daughter Amy is a dedicated foster.
Church & Chapel Funeral Service Serving the Family Milw. 262-827-0659 Wauk. 262-549-0659 Online Obit, Condolences, Directions www.churchandchapel.com