Sandra Smith

Madison-Sandra Jane Smith, born on October 26th, 1936, in Madison, WI, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI. The daughter of Major General Phillips Waller Smith, Sr., and Veronica Bernadette McVeigh. She grew up in many states being in a military family and graduated high school in 1954 from Paris American HS in Paris, France. She received a B.S. in Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She completed advanced graduate coursework throughout her lifetime in many different disciplines. She entered the United States Air Force as an Officer in 1959 to begin her long life of service starting with her service to her country and was an honorably discharged with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. She then began to serve her family devotedly and wholeheartedly for the rest of her life. She had over 20 years of purchasing manager experience, with Heurikon Corporation as a purchasing manager and then she performed duties as the Dane County Purchasing Manager. She was awarded Public Relations Person of the Year in 1986-1987 and Professional Development Person of the Year in 1994. She enjoyed traveling the world her whole life and visited many places, a few favorites were Egypt, Dubai, and New Zealand. Her smile would light up a room; coupled with her unique sense of humor and the never-ending stories of her adventures, warmed hearts. She cherished spending time and doing things with her friends and had a knack for winning at gambling. She shared her vivaciousness of learning and lifetime dedication to improving the lives of thousands of children throughout her years including multiple volunteer teaching trips with the children of the Indigenousness Bara in Australia, decades at the Masonic Learning Center and as a substitute teacher with a special focus on students with special needs in the Madison area schools for 25 years. She treasured her role, giving back to her community as an Aquatic program leader and teaching warm water aerobics at Harbor Athletic Club for 25 years. She had authored and published several articles in national publications. She was the president of Kappa Alpha Theta Alumna Club and served on its advisory board for several decades, she enjoyed her area and regional bridge groups where she earned the level of Ruby Life Master and acquired a vast number of friends that continued to enhance her life daily. She was a proud member of the Women of the Air Force program enjoying many trips to their reunions throughout her years. Her most memorable day of her life was her recent trip with the Badger Honor Flight for Veterans in May 2022 to Washington D.C. She is survived by her children Susanna Vee Weeks of Pineville, LA and Brett William Shropshire of Reno, NV and her sister Ann S. Hartman of Madison, WI; she has numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren and great grandchildren and the best group of life-long friends that anyone could ask for that will continue to feel her great loss. She was proceeded in death by her children Keith Richard Shropshire, Kent Robert Shropshire; her parents Maj. General Phillips W. Smith Sr., Veronica B. McVeigh; her sister Veronica S. Koss and her brother Phillips W. Smith, Jr. A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, October 13th, 2022, from 1-4pm at The Vintage Brewing Company; 674 S. Whitney Way Madison, WI; with a Military honors ceremony at 2pm. A special appreciation and gratitude for the entire staff of the VA Medical Hospital in Madison for their awesome care. In Lieu of flowers, PLEASE donate, in her name, to her favorite charity: The Badger Honor Flight for Veterans; 608-616-0243:www.badgerhonorflight.org; ATTN: Treasurer, PO Box 258066, Madison, WI 53725.

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Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services 5701 Odana Road 608-274-1000