Sandra Bleick of Elgin, ND, passed away on January 16, 2015 at CHI St. Alexius Hospital, after a 19-year battle with multiple myeloma, surrounded by her loving family.

Sandra was born on April 2, 1946, in Mitchell, SD, to Wallace and LaNelle (Kessler) Timpe of Salem, SD. The Timpe family moved to Flasher, ND, in 1948. Sandra attended school at St. Lawrence Grade School through the eighth grade and graduated from Flasher High School in 1964 where she was an honor student and salutatorian of her class. She graduated from Bismarck Junior College in 1966 and from Dickinson State College in 1968. Her teaching career, which spanned the years from 1968 to 2013, had her teaching high school English at Belfield, Flasher, New Leipzig, Elgin and Carson and serving as librarian at New Leipzig, Elgin, and Carson schools. Sandra thought the world of her students and enjoyed talking of their accomplishments and their antics.

Sandra (Sandee) grew up with brothers Ron, Doug and Jim Timpe and sister Carol Timpe on the small family farm. She spent part of each summer on her grandparent's farm helping with chores and exploring the hills. Sandra married Robert Bleick of Elgin, ND, on December 27, 1971, in St. Lawrence Catholic Church at Flasher. They had 3 sons, Daniel, Jonathan, and Steven.

Sandra is survived by her 3 sons and daughters-in-law, Dan and Rachel Bleick, Fargo, ND, Jonathan Bleick (Lisa Rowland), New Salem, ND; and Steven Bleick, Elgin, ND; grandchildren Mason, Simon, Natalie, CJ, and Michael, 3 brothers and sisters-in-law, Ron and Marie Timpe, Grand Forks, ND; Doug and Kitty Timpe, Paola, KS; Jim and Dr. Donnell Timpe, Mason City, IA; 1 sister and brother-in-law, Carol and C.J. Daigle, Lawrenceville, GA; half-brother Jerry (Judy) Hoffmann, many nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law Veryl Roth, Betty Luke, Iris Parraguirre and Nora Hulette, aunt Elaine Hochhalter, uncle Bob Timpe and many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert on February 27, 2004, grandson Avery Bleick, parents Wallace and LaNelle Timpe, grandparents and many uncles and aunts.

Sandra (Sandee) was a naturalist at heart. She loved all things in nature, especially animals. Sandee loved the outdoors and had a deep suntan during most of the year. She spent much of her youth with puppies, chickens, horses, and the other farm animals. Her favorites were always the "runt" of the litter, her dog Zippy, a one-legged chicken named Chippee, and Gypsy, a foal that ran into a barbed-wire fence and was given to her by her grandfather after she nursed it back to health. She was a skilled fisherwoman, spending many days on the riverbank.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am MT Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at St. John's Catholic Church in New Leipzig. Fr. Dennis Schafer will officiate with burial in St. John's Catholic Cemetery at New Leipzig.

Visitation will be on Tuesday from 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin, with a Rosary and Wake Service starting at 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Memorials may be sent to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation, Tracy's Sanctuary of Bismarck or the Sandra Bleick Family.