Sandra D. Hipkins

Sandra D. Hipkins, 69, of Cambridge, IL passed away on January 19, 2022, at Hammond Henry Hospital in Geneseo. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at Vandemore Funeral Homes and Crematory-Geneseo Chapel. The service will be livestreamed at www.vandemorefuneralhome.com/live-stream. Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at the funeral home. She will be laid to rest at Oakwood Cemetery-Geneseo. Memorials can be made in her name to the Henry Co. Humane Society-Geneseo.

Sandy was born on January 1, 1953, in Tampa, Florida.  She was the youngest daughter of Franklin & Valeria (Townsend) Peterson. The family resided in Tampa until Sandy was in junior high, moving to Moline and attending Wilson Junior High and graduating from Moline High School in 1970.  She graduated from Moline Beauty School twice working at Younkers hair salon and doing hair for lots of family and friends for years.

Sandy married Tom Ragan on July 4th, 1972, and raised two children, Tammy (Frank) Weikert of Taylor Ridge, IL, and Doug (Nicole) Ragan of Mesa, AZ. She married Earl Ralph Hipkins on October 11, 1997, and they shared their love with all their children, Dawn Blaszczyk of Cedar Rapids, IA, Julie Blaszczyk of Cedar Rapids, IA, Chuck (Michelle) Blaszczyk of Cambridge, IL, Kristie (Dan) Schomer of Milan, IL.  Ralph showered Sandy with love daily and he cared for her unconditionally for the rest of her life. She was the love of his life, and he was for her also.

 For many years, Sandy was a master chef in many local restaurants like the Moline Holiday Inn, Perkins and Riefe's Restaurant in Davenport. She was well known for her delicious cream puffs, pies, and cinnamon rolls. All her life she had a bountiful garden where she and Ralph canned and preserved many vegetables when she wasn't fishing with him and kids on the river. Her and Ralph were very successful at local farmers markets, often selling all she could make. Later, Sandy and her father began researching our genealogy and it wasn't long before her sister Glenda and others joined in on the quest to discover our lineage.  Recently, they expanded their search across the pond deepening their passion and at the holidays this year, she announced the discovery of Cherokee royalty heritage from Oklahoma.

She leaves behind a brother, Marty (Rusty) Peterson of Milan, IL and sister, Glenda (Joe) Hennings of Davenport. She also leaves behind 17 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews. She will forever be known as Aunt Nanner. She was preceded in death by her father, mother, brother-in-law Joe and her beloved dogs Shitbird and Boomer.