Sandy Pace

Sandy Pace was born February 23, 1944, in San Diego, CA, to Jean Kathryn Beck and Samuel Maurice Pace, Jr., but her dad was her mother’s second husband, Al Aakhus. She grew up first in Tulare, CA, until her family moved back to the Midwest, first living in Tripp County, SD, then Itasca County, MN, and later returning to South Dakota. She attended school there, graduating from Gregory High School in 1961.

She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in elementary education. She completed her practice teaching in Las Vegas, NV, then returned home to teach Head Start living with her folks until she accepted a teaching position in Guam and took a great tour of many countries of Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

She accepted a teaching position with the Panama Canal Company, eventually teaching with the Department of Defense before she returned to the USA after 29 years in Panama. While teaching in Central America she traveled in South and Central America and Mexico with friends.

She returned to the States, teaching at Martin Luther King Elementary in Yakima, WA, for ten years.

Travel was a true passion, with photography coming in a close second, followed by family history, reading, and the politics of the day. She cared deeply about fairness and justice. She cared most about children.

Sandra “Sandy” Jo Pace of Yakima, WA, age 81, passed away August 31, 2025, in Boise, ID, surrounded by loving family.

She is survived by grandchildren Andrea, Desiree, and Anthony; five great-grandchildren; sisters Gaetha Pace of Boise, ID, Susan Robertson of Baxter, MN, Sally (Jim) Petersen of Racine, WI; (Jim) and all her wonderful much-loved South Dakota cousins.

She is preceded in death by her daughter Ana Lucia; her brother Jan Aakhus; nephew Mark Petersen; brother-in-law Joe Robertson; and parents Jean and Al Aakhus.