Sandra “Sandy” Jean Ekern, 78, of Flandreau, passed away on Monday, October 30, 2023 at Riverview Healthcare Center in Flandreau, SD. Funeral services were held on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Flandreau United Methodist Church by Skroch Funeral Chapel.

Sandy-Jeanie Ekern (Morrison) was born on November 20th, 1944, to Lyle Morrison and Mardell Morrison (Richardson), in Oakland California.  Sandy and her older brother Larry were Navy “brats” living in numerous Naval base cities in the United States, finally settling in Flandreau, South Dakota when Sandy was in 8^th grade.  She graduated from Flandreau High School in 1962. 

Flandreau High School is where she met her husband of 58 years, Mark Ekern.  Sandy and Mark married in 1965 and started a family in Flandreau raising two children, Scott Ekern (Susan) and Stacy Prisbe (Brian).  Having 5 grandkids (Megan, Mackenzie (Mike), Miranda, Ben (Sidney), and Sam who she went over the top spoiling, especially at Christmas time, her favorite holiday.  Sandy was her grandkids biggest cheerleader at their sporting events and bragged about them to whoever was listening. 

During her time in Flandreau, she held many jobs.  All involving customer service skills.  When Scott and Stacy started elementary school, Sandy worked alongside her mom as lunch ladies at Spafford Elementary School in Flandreau.  When the Royal River Casino opened in 1990, she took a job as a cashier.  She then moved onto managing the Dakota Stop and Trading post for 30+ years.  She was the glue that made the local trading stores hot spots in Flandreau.  Always on call, changing gas prices in the dead of winter, managing numerous employees who all respected her, greeting every customer that walked into her stores, asking about them and their families and willing to share details about her own family.  That job kept her young, sharp, and active.  She was the “unofficial” mayor of Flandreau and served on the Flandreau City Council for 15+ years.  Sandy was also known for making wedding, graduation, birthday, and football helmet homecoming cakes for the town of Flandreau.

Sandy was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle and Mardell and her brother Larry.

Sandy loved her husband Mark, her two kids Scott and Stacy and her 5 grandchildren very much.  She made that very clear and was a great wife, mother, and grandmother.  She will be missed by many and is now at peace.

Memorials may be directed to the American Parkinson Disease Association https://www.apdaparkinson.org/