James Michael "Sandy" Sandstedt, Sr.

Sandy, beloved husband, father and friend passed on June 2, 2017 in San Antonio, Texas surrounded by his loving family. He was 82 years young and born in Duluth, Minnesota. He attended Alamo Heights High School class of 54. In school, he was the Fonz before Henry Winkler ever was. With antics like riding his motorcycle in the hall and stairways through the school. Teachers, coaches and staff chasing him throughout. Looked like a scene from Keystone Cops. Flying out the front doors into the rain soaked school yard spinning his back tire spraying the library windows with mud. His adventurous side wasnt limited to motorcycles but to cars as well. Sandy was one of the founding members of the Poor Boys Car Club here in San Antonio. This fueled his love of drag racing and hot-rodding cars. His pride and joy was his 37 Pontiac Businessmans Coupe. Which he tore up many a NHRA quarter mile track all over the United States. With the trophies and alcaldes to show for it, even beating Big Daddy Don Garlits which is forever memorialized on super eight films. Sadly, when NHRA became about money and sponsors he decided it wasnt for him anymore. Taking his love of cars, he dove into the world of restoring and showing cars. This passion led to many won car shows across the United States. Bringing home many a trophy and titles. Sandy was a man with a great work ethic. He started with his first job at the family restaurant, Sandys Drive Inn, here in San Antonio down on Austin Highway. From there he went to work for a great family owned garage, Henry Rose Garage and finally retired from Coca Cola after being with them for 32 years. He believed in doing a job right the first time. Like many of us do we hope to get the most out of the one life we are given. Sandy truly lived his life to the fullest. Weather it was family, a quarter mile track, Poor Boys, car shows, love of animals, travel, work and the many friends he made along the way. He did it his way and left a life time of stories to be told. Sandy was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Helen Sandstedt, and his sister Linda Shumake. He is survived by his loving wife Anita Sandstedt of 53 years, son James M. Sandstedt, Jr. and wife Julia E. Sandstedt, grandsons Kenneth Edward and James Michael, III. As well as his four legged children Peppa, Max, Neal and Lil Bit. Sandys family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Bogaev for extending Sandys life an extra 11 years from a diagnosis of NPH. The family will be having a memorial service at a later date, and time. Family and friends will be notified. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Alzheimers Foundation (alzfn.org) and to St. Jude Children Research Hospital (stjude.org).