Sandra Bolton

BOLTON, FRANCOISE, STREETER

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 9/25/2023 at 08:17:24

2021 Birthday Limerick:
Now some say Mom is a Democrat
Who thinks truth trumps alternative facts
I say it’s a lie
‘Cuz I heard that she cried
When Joe was sworn in, post attack.

On September 7, 2023, Sandra Bolton went to meet her Maker and thank Her for the wonderful experiences she’d enjoyed on Earth before joining the other Stars twinkling in the Heavens.

Sandra would jokingly declare 1935 was a good year for America. Elvis Presley was born, The Social Security Act was signed into law and on March 9th William and Mary (Streeter) Francoise welcomed the birth of their 3rd child, Sandra Lee, the baby of the family.

As a young woman growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sandra met and married Harry George Bolton. They eventually parted ways but not before they produced and raised 6 children: Harry Jr. (Christine, deceased), Terry (Ellen), Bruce, Mary, Alice and John (Rebecca). She was also blessed with 8 grandchildren: Harry III, Aliyah, Alex (Lauren), Ryan, Tyler, Michelle (TJ), Nicole (Matt) and Jennifer and 6 great-grandchildren: Blair, Taren, Declan, Owen, Brooklyn and Zander.

2020 Birthday Limerick:
There still is a Mother named Sandra
Be smart and be good is her mantra
She worked and she prayed
Her focus ne’er strayed
Now her kids are surely upstanda!

Besides family, Sandra’s other great love was teaching. With dedication and determination (all while raising 6 children), Sandra earned her BA from the University of Iowa in 1968 and MA in 1970. That same year Sandra began her teaching career at Mt. Vernon High School as an English teacher where she taught all high school levels until moving on in 1984.

Sandra spent a year at Iowa State University, 1st semester teaching Freshman Composition and the 2nd semester supervising student teachers in a program designed to connect secondary schools with Iowa universities. Back at the University of Iowa in 1985, she worked towards her PhD in English Education while teaching Rhetoric classes and through 1992 taught summer classes for the Iowa Writing Project. In 1985 and 1986 Sandra served as president of the Iowa Council of Teachers of English and in 1991 she received their Distinguished Service Award. Sandra also completed work on her PhD to the point of ABD (all but dissertation).

She then took a break from the college scene to spend a decade at ACT as a language specialist where her department worked with classrooms around the United States developing portfolios and helped train raters to assess those portfolios. While at ACT Sandra gave numerous presentations at conferences of the Iowa Council of Teachers of English, the National Council of Teachers of English and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. In 2000 she also gave a presentation to English teachers in Japan.

In 2004 Sandra returned to the classroom teaching various Composition classes at Kirkwood Community College before retiring in 2019. Sandra served terms on the boards of the North Liberty Community Library and Friends of International Students, was a leader in her church community and maintained an active interest in whatever was happening politically around the country. She also has been honored at the Plaza of Heroines at Iowa State University. A bio of her accomplishments can be found online and an inscribed brick will be placed in her honor in Spring 2024.

Sandra stayed busy in retirement visiting family and friends (she will be sorely missed by Caryl on Oscar and Election nights!) and often cooked and shared Sunday dinner with her local kids. She also travelled to her eldest grandson’s wedding (Arizona), her youngest grandson’s 5th birthday (Minnesota) and to meet her youngest great-granddaughter shortly after her birth (back to Arizona). In 2020 and 2021 she joined her fishing obsessed “youngsters” at resorts in Wisconsin and Minnesota for weeklong parties of fishing, laughing, storytelling, singing and feasting. Her deviled eggs are now legendary to that fortunate group.

Sandra’s kindness, generosity, intelligence and dedication to all educational pursuits were felt by all who knew her. She’s a shining example of what Geoffrey Chaucer once wrote: “And gladly would (s)he learn and gladly teach.”

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, siblings and daughter-in-law Christine. Pursuant to Sandra’s request that there be no funeral, her kids are planning a Celebration of Life on November 11, 2023, place & time still being decided.

Sandra also gave regularly to many organizations, a few being: Habitat for Humanity, The Audubon Society, The Salvation Army, ACLU and Sierra Club. In lieu of flowers, Sandra’s family suggests a donation to one of these (or your favorite charity) would always be greatly appreciated.

Special THANK YOU! to The Bird House for all their love, care and assistance given to Sandra during her final months.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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