Saundra "Sandee" Sue Franz

Saundra Sue “Sandee” Franz (07/27/1944 – 05/25/2025)

Sandee was born in St. Petersburg, FL to Howard Henry Nelson and Mary Alice Jinks Nelson. She was the eldest of 3 siblings, Constance “Aunt Stan” Nelson Kennedy, and Douglas “Uncle Dougie” Nelson.

While she moved around quite a bit during her life, Topeka, KS was home. In fact, she returned to Topeka on a troop train as an infant with her mother, while her father was flying as a WWII pilot overseas. Topeka was where she spent most of her formative years. She was part of the 1st graduating class of Topeka West High School and even spent a year at Kansas State.  As a police officer in Topeka, she was known for having out-shot her FBI firearms instructor. Following her time as a police officer, Sandee found herself working for Southwestern Bell (part of The Bell System) in Topeka, which took her all over the country.

In the spring of 1989, The Bell System, now AT&T, transferred Sandee to their Denver, Colorado branch to work as an account executive. This is where she met the love of her life, Paul Franz.  Following a whirl-wind romance, they were married on June 15, 1991, becoming a beautiful, blended family. They enjoyed almost 34 years of married life together, growing an even larger family full of love and laughter. Sandee and Paul travelled for many years to visit her family in Topeka at the “Chicken Farm”, which strangely, had no chickens.

After retiring from AT&T, she began her 2nd career, embracing her passion and teaching Bob Ross painting and Donna Dewberry One Stroke to kids and adults in Albuquerque and the Denver Metro area. A loving Christian, she also performed Stephen Ministry, Peacemaker Mission, and was a Deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Brighton.

Sandee is remembered as kind, loving, compassionate, stubborn and ornery. Most of all, she is known for her fierce protectiveness of her family, and her willingness to welcome just about anyone into her home.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2015, she faced the disease, moving forward with grace and strength. She passed peacefully in her sleep, returning home to the Lord, and the loving arms of her family, on May 25, 2025.

She is survived by her husband Paul, younger brother, Doug (Deborah Hanes-Nelson), two daughters, Lisa (Matt) Nelson-Miller and Kelley Moyer, 2 stepchildren Kyla (Corey) Stopperan and Nick Franz, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her sister Connie, and mother and father, Mary and Howard.

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