With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Sandra D. Bashans of Buffalo Center, IA.
These pages are a small offering toward a much larger life.
Sandra held deeply to the Methodist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew her best.
A life of belief is a life of quiet conversation with something larger.
A memorial service for Sandy will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026 at the United Methodist Church in Buffalo Center. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.
Sandra Deanne (Sparks) Bashans was born November 24, 1937 in Estherville, Iowa to Wilbur and Marie (Kline) Sparks. Sandy lived in Graettinger, Iowa for a short time, and then in 1941 moved to Wichita Falls Texas where her dad, Bill, was a teletype operator at Shepherd Field Air Base during World War II. Later, the Sparks Family moved to Blue Earth, Minnesota where Sandy attended school from 7th through 12th grade and graduated in 1955.
Sandy graduated from the Minnesota School of Business and Laboratory Technologies in 1956. She was hired at Schmidt Memorial Hospital and the Westbrook, Minnesota Clinic as a lab and x-ray technician where she set up the first lab in the hospital. While working in Westbrook, Sandy was introduced to Curtis Bashans.
Curtis and Sandra were married on April 12, 1958 at the Salem Evangelical United Brethren Church in Blue Earth, Minnesota. After Curtis completed barber school in 1959, they moved to Buffalo Center and became an integral part of the community.
Sandy had many highlights and loves in her life. In 1964 she became the Buffalo Center News Correspondent for KBEW out of Blue Earth, Minnesota and continued this gig until 2018. She baked and decorated cakes to earn extra money when the kids were young. In 1974, she was asked to be the first activity coordinator at Timely Mission Nursing Home and retired from TMNH in 2012. Besides being busy with all of her jobs, she found time for Saturday morning coffee every week with the greatest bunch of ladies and neighbors.
Community involvement was always a love of Sandy's. She enjoyed organizing and working at the bloodmobile, teaching cake decorating classes, volunteering with the food shelf, and being a cub scout leader. She helped with the Centennial Committee, the school's 75th anniversary, Community Club and the 4th of July pork burger stand, and many volunteering opportunities at the school. Sandy loved her church family and was a active member of the United Methodist Church in Buffalo Center.
As any mother and grandma, Sandy's greatest love was her family. She passed on her love of nature and compassion for animals to her family as she raised many orphaned squirrels, and even baby robins, until old enough to survive back in the outdoors on their own. She baked for her kids, grandkids, all of their friends and was simply known as "Grandma Sandy" to all of them. She hosted Sunday dinner every week when everyone gathered at her house after church. She attended all events unless left at home to babysit the youngest. She loved family vacations, first with her own kids and then with the grandchildren. Duluth and Grand Marais, Minnesota were her favorite spots.
Sandra passed away on April 28, 2026 at Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center at the age of 88.
She is survived by her children, Brian Bashans and Deanne Hobbs of Buffalo Center; grandchildren, Krista (Barry) Troe of Fort Lee, Virginia, Kaylan (Jordan Shannon) Hobbs of Thompson, Iowa, Kory (Alexis) Hobbs of Ames, Iowa, Kade Hobbs of Buffalo Center, Iowa; great-grandchildren Lilah and Lennon Troe; sister-in-laws Carolyn Sparks of Ankeny, Iowa, Kathy Sparks of Des Moines, Iowa; cousins and nephews.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Curt; brothers, Mike and Terry Sparks; son-in-law, Brian Hobbs; parents, in-laws and grandparents.
"Tune in tomorrow for more north Iowa news, and now back to our main studio."
