December 1, 1947 - March 17, 2022
On 03-17-2022, John Martin Sandness crossed over to the side of existence we can’t see. He passed at his home in Loveland Colorado. He had been a resident of Loveland/Berthoud since 1978. John was born in Minneapolis Minn., in 1947, lived there until 1961 and then moved with his family to San Pedro California, where he completed high school in 1965.
He later received an A.A. in Journalism from Los Angeles City College. John was preceded in death by his parents, Jorund and Norma Sandness, and his first wife, Renee. He is survived by his second wife Judy; brother Paul Sandness (Ruth), of Huntington Beach Calif.; sister Peggy Cobb (David), of Lynwood, Wash.; Daughter Amber Sandness of Severance; and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. Having come to realize early on that the only thing one can hope to take with him from this life is whatever he has managed to become.
John embraced all opportunities for experience, learning and growth. He read extensively on a wide variety of subjects, was a tireless traveler, and sought to know people of other cultures and those with views different from his own. After years of study and practice he became fluent in Spanish. Since coming to Larimer County, John had been a truck driver for Loveland foods, correctional officer, and Commander for the Weld County Sheriff’s office, case manager for the Larimer County Alternative Sentencing Department, and carpenter and first sergeant in the Wyoming Air National Guard. In his early working years he was a film technician for a Hollywood movie Company and a communications analyst in the U.S. Air Force.
John felt fortunate to have been able to visit or live in 15 foreign countries. He was a college newspaper editor, a labor union steward, and spent a year at war. John Married Renee Bacon in Inglewood California in 1971. They spent a few years drifting from state to state, looking for the perfect place. Renee died in Loveland at the age of 27. In 1980, in Longmont, John married Judy Lee Ray, who proved to be his soul mate and true love of his life. They remained together and supremely happy to the end. They enjoyed decades of love, friendship, and pursuit of all the big and little things that life offers.
They were always each other’s best friend and advocate. John was deeply grateful for her presence in his life. During his periods of illness John received tremendous support in every form from his and Judy’s wide circle of friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers who helped with yard work, errands, transportation, and so much more. It was all freely offered and most gratefully accepted. Just as important were the many cards, letters, phone calls, prayers, good wishes and personal visits.
It all meant the world to John and made him feel connected to others as never before. He felt it helped extend his life. Throughout most of his life John was a part-time writer. He produced news and feature articles for various publications and occasional news and publicity releases for local media. True to form, John finished by writing this, his own obituary.
Funeral Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday April 1st 2022 at Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home, followed by interment at Loveland Burial Park. The family asks, for reasons of safety, that masks be worn by all in attendance at John’s Service.
