Obituary of Gary Sandbo

Gary was born on April 25, 1946 in Tracy, MN to Julius and Bernice (McMahon) Sandbo and big sister Alma. His father passed away when he was nine years old. After his father’s death, he had many great coaches and teachers in town that helped mentor him into the man he would become, including Leo Sebastian, Bill Bolin and Art Marben. He was a member of the Tracy Lutheran Church while growing up. His mother Bernice married Merwin Mose in 1963, Gary’s junior year of high school, who supported Gary in many different ways going forward. Gary remained very close to his mother until her passing in 1993. While attending Tracy High School, Gary sang in the choir and in the vocal quartet. He played football, basketball and baseball for the Tracy Scrappers. He was loved by classmates and was named Athlete of the Year before graduating in May of 1964, then later added to the Tracy High School Wall of Honor. Gary attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD in the Fall of 1964 on a full ride football scholarship. He was a three year starter at quarterback, two-time all-conference, and an All-American his senior year. Additionally, he played shortstop four years for the Augustana Viking baseball team and was a terrific hitter. Gary was named the South Dakota Athlete of the Year in 1968. His accomplishments would lead to him later being inducted into the Augustana College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982. During his summer breaks in college, he returned to Tracy where he worked at the swimming pool and played for the Tracy Engineers Town Baseball Team, later becoming the Engineers manager for a summer. In May 1968, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree of Education. He supported the college throughout his life and made several trips back to Sioux Falls to watch Augie games. Following graduation, he was hired to teach at a junior high school in Sioux Falls. However, this was pre-empted since he was drafted into the United States Army where he served in Vietnam for eighteen months. After serving in the Army, Gary enrolled at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, MN. There he was an assistant football coach and obtained a Master’s Degree in Education. In the Fall of 1971, he accepted a teaching and coaching role at Walnut Grove High School in Walnut Grove, MN. He taught history and was the head football coach for the Walnut Grove Loggers. He also served as an assistant coach for the basketball team. On June 16th, 1973, he married Suzanne Cain in Tracy, MN. The two moved to Sioux Falls in the Fall of 1973, with a teaching and coaching position at Bishop O’Gorman High School. In the Fall of 1975 he and Suzanne moved to Sioux City, IA, where he was a teacher and coach at Sioux City East High School. In the summer of 1976, Gary and Suzanne moved to Lindsborg, KS to start a position as the offensive coordinator and head baseball coach at Bethany College. The two were head residence directors in Deere Hall and Warner Hall. During his time at Bethany, Gary taught a variety of classes and subjects within the Physical Education Department. The teams he was associated with had many successes including multiple KCAC championships and numerous NAIA playoff appearances. During their time at Bethany, they had three boys: Matt was born in 1978, Mike in 1979, and Mark in 1984. The couple attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in McPherson and joined St. Bridget of Sweden Catholic Church in 1988. He continued to support and follow Bethany until his passing and was inducted into the Bethany College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021, as a coach for both football and baseball. In the summer of 1988, Gary moved to Smoky Valley High School where he taught history and served as the head football coach. His impact was felt immediately as the Vikings claimed the KSHSAA 3A State Championship in his first season as head coach. He took a great deal of pride in preparing interesting lessons for his students. Gary spent many summers working with friend and collegue Ron Dahlsten on the “painting crew” and under Ron’s leadership, became quite a meticulous painter. While at Smoky Valley, he obtained his Masters of Sport Administration from Wichita State University, which gave him the opportunity to serve as Activities Director for SVHS for eight years. He stopped coaching football after the 2002 season but returned in 2006, citing that he really missed it. The Vikings had several league, district, and regional championships on top of a state championship and state runner up finish. The lessons learned from players in the Smoky Valley program had an impact far beyond the field. In 2009, he retired from teaching and coaching. In retirement, as an active member of St. Bridget’s of Sweden, he continued to serve as both a lector and eucharistic minister. He was involved with various other community organizations, including the Lindsborg Kiwanis Club and volunteered at The McPherson Food Bank as well as Bethany Home. Gary and Suzanne took many trips to Minnesota to visit family and friends alike in the Tracy, Minneapolis, and Sioux Falls area. Gary had a real appreciation for the arts and music and sang in The Messiah Chorus shortly after his retirement. He stayed involved in his three boy’s lives and sat nervously in the bleachers during many high school football games. In recent years on Friday nights, you could find him and Suzanne at either a Salina Central High School or McPherson High School football game, watching his sons' coach. He enjoyed attending the various activities of his eight grandchildren and was very proud to share their accomplishments with the “coffee boys.” He enjoyed reading scripture and his daily devotional, weekly bible study, daily walks, Quarterback Club, doing crossword puzzles, playing wordle and taking care of his yard. Gary loved a good book, specifically related to history, and read too many to count. He also continued to love the game of football, especially at the collegiate level. His Saturday routine was to finish yard work and then settle in his chair and watch games, and then in the evening take the two block walk up to watch the Swedes. He played lots of golf with his lifelong friend Ted Kessinger and numerous others from Lindsborg. Many ‘nickels’ changed hands during these rounds of golf. Gary was a man of rock solid faith in God. He gave everyone around him a great example of how to live a Christian life. On June 16th, 2023, Gary and Suzanne celebrated fifty years of marriage. He was a loving husband, a great father to his three boys and a proud grandfather of his eight grandchildren. He passed away at the age of 77 on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Salina Regional Health Center. Survivors include his wife: Suzanne (Cain) Sandbo of the home; sons: Matt Sandbo (Laura) of McPherson, KS, Mike Sandbo (Kristy) of Wichita, KS, and Mark Sandbo (Sarah) of Salina, KS; as well as his grandchildren: Kyndall, Maryn, Audra, Madisyn, Kailyn, Easton, Mason, and Rilynn Sandbo; and many extended family members and dear friends. Gary is preceded in death by his parents; sister: Alma Satran; and brother-in-law: Dr. Leon Satran. Memorial contributions may be made to Smoky Valley High School and Bethany College. Memorials may be sent in care of Crick-Christians Funeral Home, 103 N. Washington, Lindsborg, KS 67456.