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Sandra Joyce Hecht, 69, of Sturgis, passed away early Friday, May 26, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospice Residence in Battle Creek.
She was born Jan. 10, 1942, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Earl V. and Doris M. (Palmer) Deal.
Sandi was a lifelong resident of Sturgis and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1960.
In 1962, she married John Parrish. This marriage ended in divorce in 1966. She married Hugh Ettline in 1966 and this marriage also ended in divorce in 1972. On June 30, 1973 she married Walter J. Hecht in Elkhart, Indiana. He preceded her in death on Oct. 23, 2004.
Sandi had been employed as a clerk at Kmart, 3-D and Keister Walgreens in Sturgis, and for many years she had worked as a waitress at area restaurants, including the Cozy Kitchen and the Golden Cone, both in Sturgis. She currently owned and operated Gingham Goose Hand Made Crafts in Sturgis.
She enjoyed crafts and motorcycling and loved time spent with her grandchildren. She was a member of Sturgis Wesleyan Church and she and Walt were members of the Gold Wing Riders Association.
Sandi is survived by two daughters, Joy (Roger) Sommers and Lou Ann (Lee) Brown, both of Sturgis; two sons, Hugh (Ronni) Ettline of Auburn and Jeff (Dawn) Hecht of Centreville; 11 grandchildren, Scott Post, Lindsay Post, Amanda Hecht, Lora (Ted) Finch, Diane (Jayme) Biljum, Danny Sommers, Angela Sommers, Andrew (his Fiancée Kristen Miller) Sommers, Kenneth (his Fiancée Malia Scott) MacInnis, Troy McKee and Erin Ettline; five great-grandchildren, Jace Fuller, Alex Finch, Lucas Finch, Allison Biljum and Emily Biljum; two sisters, Kay Kline of Sturgis and Dee (Anthony) Bertolozzi of Charleston, S.C.; two brothers, Earl E. Deal of Adrian and Melvin C. (Pat) Deal of Maplewood, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; a daughter, Ginger Mae Parrish; a brother, Bill Deal; and a nephew, Jeremy Bertolozzi.
The family will receive friends from 2-6 p.m. Monday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes — Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis. Funeral services celebrating the life of Sandra Hecht will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. The Rev. Steve Bean of the Sturgis Wesleyan Church will officiate. A graveside committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis.
The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Hecht’s memory consider the American Heart Association, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674, or the American Diabetes Association, 1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311.
