Sandra Milne Rickard
Oct. 6, 1937-Sept. 23, 2022
Eagle, ID

Sandra “Sandy” Milne Rickard, 84, of Eagle, ID, passed away on September 23, 2022 at the age of 84. She was born to parents Stanley and Jean Milne in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Sandy graduated from Swarthmore High School in 1955 and went on to get her Bachelor of Arts degree from Allegheny College in 1959. After graduation she taught fourth grade in Cleveland, Ohio before devoting her time to raising her two children and volunteering in a number of community leadership roles at Stanford University and the Palo Alto Unified School District in Palo Alto, California. In 1981 Sandy returned to the workforce and started a career in the financial services industry at a major brokerage serving in two different Bay area offices until her retirement, when once again she devoted her energies to volunteering for community organizations in Palo Alto, Avenidas and the Palo Alto City Library in particular. In 2019, Sandy moved to Idaho to be closer to her son and his family.

A courageous, feisty, bright, thirty-year breast cancer survivor with a very quick wit who actually loved it when her children called her “Mothra'' on occasion, Sandy loved being a grandmother to triplets, meeting and spending time with people, reading mysteries, fighting for what she thought was right, and drinking Snapple Peach Iced Tea and the occasional Starbucks caramel latte or McDonald’s chocolate shake. Sandy lived her life with this quote from John Lancaster Spalding as a guide for everything that she did for her children and her community: "That the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life." That she certainly did.

Sandy is survived by her son and daughter Jon and Jenny, her daughter-in-law Dana, and three totally awesome triplet grandchildren. It should also be noted that she was a proud second cousin to author A. A. Milne and therefore also proudly related to Christopher Robin and obviously to Winnie the Pooh, and, of course Piglet, too.

The family will be holding a private service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Cancer Society in her honor.

Tags: teacher/educator, public service