Sandra Truedy Billeter

On Sunday, July 3rd, Sandra Truedy Hatch Billeter reluctantly let go of all her loved ones here on Earth, and returned to be with her loved ones in Heaven. Sandra was born into a wonderful family of educators, farmers, musicians, scientists, and artists on August 27, 1938, in American Fork, Utah. Philander Hatch, an outstanding teacher within the arts, and the gospel of Christ, a professional trumpet player, a creative engineer, an inventor and gentleman, is her father. Maurine Gourley, a delightful farmer's daughter, and athlete, missionary, gifted mother and educator, is her mother. Maurleen Evalyne, her creative, big sister, became her mentor, to aide her through out life. She felt so lucky to be born into this family, which was so full of faith, service and hard workers.

She began her life on the Avenues of Salt Lake City, Utah and thus attended Ensign Elementary, Bryant Junior High, and West High School. While in Junior High she began working for her father in his ceramics store, Utah Ceramics. She painted hundreds of eyes, legs and beaks on seagulls and bees for Utah souvenirs created by her father. Her younger brother, Philander Gourley, allowed Sandra to be with him and his buddies when as teenagers they worked for hours on "souping up" Chevys, Fords, and a delightful old '32 Model A. Riding with Phil on the back of Tote Gote, and later motorcycling all over the hills behind Shriners Hospital on the avenues was very memorable for her. She didn't realize till years later that her father and brother had prepared her to raise her sons, Brian, Nathan, and Brett. Then during junior high her "Little Dancing Princess," sister and dear friend, Valerie Koening was born into the family. Her childhood was a safe and happy time for her. Sandra graduated from BYU in 1960 with a Human Development and Family Relations Major and Elementary Education as her minor. She taught double sessions of first grade for a few years, cruising back and forth to Granger Elementary School in her favorite 1956 Corvette.

Then her family heard a startling decision made by Sandra when she asked her Bishop if she could go on a mission for the LDS Church. Selling her Corvette, she spent 2 years in the Brazilian South Mission from 1962 to 1964. She was sure she had been sent back into an era her grandparents lived. It was quite an adjustment. First of all, LDS missionaries were sent "cold turkey" without any foreign language skills and she had never been on an airplane. But, upon her return she was a "native" of Brazil and found it hard to leave her Brazilians. It was in Brazil she set deep in her heart an eternal love for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sandra returned to teach Head Start, Kindergarten, and First Grade. She taught hundreds of little children in public schools for over 21 years. Her love of and respect for children just seemed to come naturally. She felt very, very comfortable with children. When she retired it was so much fun for her to continue teaching her grandchildren in "Granee School." Teaching each 3 or 4 year old grandchild how to read and write was a sacred time for her. Being a member of the LDS Church and serving within was one of her top priorities in her life. Sandra had earned the church's Golden Gleaner Award (part of a now-discontinued program for 18 to 30 year old single church members, by meeting a rigorous set of requirements for church activity and self-improvement). Most callings humbled her deeply. Sandra was called in the Relief Society as a ward president, counselor, secretary, pianist, and chorister. In Primary she was a president (three times), counselor, cub scout leader, nursery leader, pianist, and a counselor in a stake primary presidency. She also served as a teacher, multiple times in the Sunday School, Primary, and Relief Society organizations of the Church. She also enjoyed being the secretary for a stake mission presidency, a stake missionary and working in the Salt Lake Temple in the Youth Center. Sunday, She proclaimed, was her favorite day.

With courage, a strong testimony of a loving Heavenly Father, His son Jesus Christ, His gospel, the Prophet Joseph Smith and knowing how to keep her hand in the hand of the Lord, she was strengthened through a traumatic divorce for Herald, that she knew was the right thing to do.

Together she and her three sons struggled to accept rejection, and poverty. In unity and love they supported each other wanting desperately to succeed. Although it was difficult, they witnessed loving, kind people come to help them adjust. During their growing teenage years, one son referred to their mother as the "M.P." (Military Police). Sometime after their missions she was then living known as MO.

All three of her sons honored her by becoming Eagle Scouts, serving LDS Missions, getting university degrees and taking Heather Ranglack, Stephanie King, and Kristen Naegle to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed. Then to the delight of Sandra little ones sent from Heaven joined her family. And with the flowing purity of each grandchild's birth, her heart enlarged and enlarged with gratitude, love and joy for her Father in Heaven's gifts. In order of their birth, they came as Lily, Katrina, Holly, Benjamin, Bethany, Ivy, Daphne, Bronwijn, Serenity, Arden, Mayzie, and Genevieve. Her sons and their wives became her confidants, advisors and her best friends as they rallied around her. Nothing gave her more joy than being with her little family and watching them grow in the gospel, in intelligence, developing integrity, being good citizens and especially seeing her sons become wonderful husbands and fathers.

Living in Brett and Kristen's home with their 4 princesses was such a comfort and a "frosting." She felt so loved and protected.

As hard as life turned out to be for her, she fought to live so she could raise her sons the best she knew how, to serve the Lord, and to endure to the end with a lot of faith. Sandra felt so blessed to experience the Lord's plan of happiness and to receive the peace and joy, which engulfs a woman who loves the Lord and His children.

For Sandra, she believed everything finally worked out the way it was to be. Her death was peaceful and anticipated. She will be laid to rest in the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.