Sandra Kay Gaerte of Fort Wayne, IN has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved her.
These pages are a small offering toward a much larger life.
What remains is what was loved.
Sandra Kay (Pfeiffer) Gaerte, age 79, formerly of Tri Lakes, near Columbia City and most recently from Fort Wayne, passed away May 4, 2026, at Laurels of Dekalb in Butler. Sandy was born in Columbia City, Indiana, on June 12, 1946, to the late Walton Howard Pfeiffer and Anita Faye (Leonard) Pfeiffer. She grew up on Shriner Lake, which is part of the Tri Lakes chain of lakes, north of Columbia City. She graduated from Columbia City High School in 1964 and was employed in clerical and administrative work. She married Richard Ralph Gaerte on December 6, 1969, in Columbia City.
Survivors include: Her husband of 56 years, Richard Gaerte of Fort Wayne. Son, Jeffrey Gaerte of Columbia City. Son, Duane and Amy Gaerte of Angola. Son, Travis and Hollie Gaerte of Cummings, Georgia. Five grandchildren. Sister, Shirley Gaff of Fort Wayne. Brother, Dennis and Linda Pfeiffer of Columbia City. Sister, Sherry Doherty of Syracuse, Indiana.
Sandy will be laid to rest at Marion National Cemetery at a later date.
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