Sarah Caroline (Christopherson) MANDSAGER

MANDSAGER, CHRISTOPHERSON, KUNSTAL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/20/2013 at 13:46:39

May 23, 1929 --- August 12, 2007

Sally Mandsager, 78, of Loveland, Colorado and formerly of Sioux Falls, died August 12th at the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. She was born Sarah Caroline Christopherson on May 23rd, 1929 in Newell, South Dakota, to Agnes and Oswald Christopherson. She graduated from Newell High School and went on to attend Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was at Augustana that she met the love of her life, Chuck Mandsager. They were married December 9th, 1949, and lived in Sioux Falls for 44 years.

Sally lived in a way that brought glory to God. She was a shining example of a Christian woman, always displaying Christian virtues of love for others, patience, kindness, gentleness, humility, and honesty. Her family thought of her as a perfect wife and mother, and those in her presence often referred to Sally as "a perfect lady." She lived with Parkinson's disease for fourteen years and never once complained. Her faith and her family were her strength. While living in Sioux Falls, she was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, and after retiring to Loveland in 1993, became a member of Zion Lutheran Church, where she was part of the prayer chain, and a member of Priscilla Circle. The world was a kinder place with Sally in it.

Sally had a career as a homemaker and mother, and had many other interests she enjoyed, including classical music (especially Mozart), musicals, dancing, cooking and entertaining, tennis, golf, and traveling. Her family will always remember her love for life, with many camping trips on the Missouri River, where Sally loved to water ski and was known to do some fancy tricks. Sally was a percussionist in high school, was part of the Augustana College marching band, was a piano and percussion teacher, and played with the Sioux Falls Symphony Orchestra for 20 years. One of the highlights of her musical career occurred when guest conductor Meredith Wilson, of "Music Man" fame, singled Sally out to acknowledge her. He later contacted her with a picture and a note attesting that she was "a great percussionist."

Sally is survived by her husband Chuck, son Mark Mandsager (Charlotte, North Carolina, married to Doreen) daughters Miriam Kunstal (Loveland, married to Frank) and Anne Mandsager (Charlotte, North Carolina), and grandchildren Kirsten, Rachel, Ali, Tedd, and Carly, sister Susan (Ridgefield, Washington), niece Sidsel, nephew Chris, and many close friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, John and Scott Christopherson, and seven-year- old son, Tedd.

Funeral services will begin at 2:00 PM Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the music department at Augustana College, or to Child Voice International (a program helping children who have escaped from the horrors of war in Africa, founded by Conrad and Neil Mandsager, nephews of Sally). Miller Funeral Home - Sioux Falls, SD