Sandra “Sandy” Kaye Rose Young of Little River, KS, passed away Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, at Sandstone Heights Nursing Home, Little River, with loved ones by her side and holding her hand.
She was born June 4, 1941, in Hutchinson, KS, to Howard and Maxine Rose. Sandy lived her early life in several cities including Hutchinson, Salina and Wichita, KS, as well as a year in Denver. Some of her fondest childhood memories were of spending summers at her beloved Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds’s home in Arlington, KS
As a young adult, Sandy happened to be at her parents’ house in Hutchinson one day, when a handsome water softener salesman – Lyle Young – knocked on the door. The two were instantly smitten and it wasn’t long before they were engaged. Sandy married Lyle on Oct. 28, 1966, in Newkirk, OK, and the couple lived in Kansas City before settling in Lyle’s hometown of Little River.
Before becoming a mother, Sandy worked at various jobs, including clothing stores, an insurance company and as a secretary and receptionist. But once she welcomed their daughter, Kelley Ann, Sandy became a stay-at-home mom and homemaker. Seven years later they added a son, Jason Carlyle.
Sandy adored keeping her home and raising the kids while Lyle worked first in the water softening business, then running his own company, North American Drilling & Exploration, and later selling cars with their son, Jason, at Youngs Auto Sales in Great Bend. He always said, “Sandy kept the home fires burning.” She was an excellent cook, always trying new recipes and delighting Lyle with grand meals three times a day. She was especially known for her hominy bake, which was a longtime staple at church potlucks.
Sandy loved cooking so much she collected recipe books constantly throughout her life and they are tucked all around her house to this day. She also enjoyed eating out and had a large collection of menus from all the places she had tried.
Once the kids were grown, Sandy began trying new things. She was always up for new adventures, and loved to plan and organize. She was instrumental in founding Little River’s Red Hat Society, which operated for many years. She participated in everything she could at Little River Congregational Church. She was a part of women’s fellowship for decades, serving several years as president. She was the women’s representative for the Kansas-Oklahoma conference of the United Church of Christ. She worked many years in the kitchen for the annual chicken noodle dinner and church sale. And for 20 years, she was coordinator for Angel Tree’s Prison Fellowship outreach. She did so much with the church, her son called her “the church lady.”
She worked for a year at the Lil Ol Cookie House in Little River and sold Mary Kay cosmetics for several years.
Another of Sandy’s loves was traveling. She and Lyle went to Mexico, Yugoslavia, London, the Bahamas and Canada. They also traveled to Colorado often and went to area lakes almost every weekend. And in 2014, she traveled on her own as part of a large tour group for a 2-week tour of Israel and the Holy Land.
Sandy loved people, just thoroughly enjoyed being with friends, going to parties and meeting new people. She didn’t know a stranger and one of the people she met – at an airport – was Dolly Parton, a highlight of Sandy’s travels! And people loved Sandy in return. In the month before she passed away, after going into the hospital, she had 50 different people come to see her, many coming multiple times.
Her door was always open to anyone. She would usher them in no matter the time of day or what else she had been doing, and offer coffee and a treat. She would be content just to sit, drink coffee and visit for hours.
She also loved dressing up and shopping. Small local shops to big chain stores, she enjoyed them all. She most likely had the best wardrobe and accessories in all of Little River!
Sandy loved dogs and always had one in her home. She was a dog mom to many dachshunds, a bichon frise and most recently, her faithful companion, Gunner, a miniature golden doodle, who now resides with family in Omaha.
More than all the other things, Sandy loved her family and was completely devoted to them. Since her daughter, grandson and great-grandchildren lived in Omaha, NE, Sandy traveled there several times a year to spend time with them. Her last trip was in June 2026. She also doted on her son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Kansas.
Before Lyle’s death on Dec. 30, 2021 - after 55 years of marriage - Sandy did all she could to care for him and support him. They spent long days together, talking, sharing stories, eating good food and watching Western movies at night.
But above all else in her life, Sandy loved her Savior, Jesus Christ. Sandy was an incredible example of living by faith. She had no doubts about God and all that he had done for her in her life. She was a devoted servant and often said, “God is with me and Jesus is holding my hand.” She truly believed the Lord helped her weather all the storms of life and her faith never wavered. Because of that, her attitude was almost always joyful, sunny and positive. She was an eternal optimist.
In a nutshell, Sandy – both in how she dressed and with her vibrant personality – simply sparkled. Everybody loved her and, on news of her passing on Facebook, described her with the following words: grand, a queen, a gem, sweet, inspiring, precious, caring, kind, fun, fashionista, a light, friendly, special.
Sandy is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jason and Stephanie Young of Little River; grandson, Chris Reeves, and wife, Tasha, of Bennington, NE; grandson, Corey Young, and wife, Caitlin, of Buhler, KS; grandson Brady Obley of Lindsborg, KS; great-grandsons Mareck, Colin, Keaton, Liam, Huxley and Kellan; great-granddaughters Morgan, Bailey and Freya; cousins Pam Thrasher and Vicki Sanchez, Bev and Jim Davis, Danette and Richard Tafoya, and Deanna and Steve Ferguson, many originally from Kansas, but all now of Albuquerque; and many many friends. Sandy also considered Ted and Melissa Weis, and their children, Jenna, Valerie and David, as family. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, her beloved husband, Lyle, and beloved daughter, Kelley.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Little River Congregational Church, 410 Clinton St., Little River, KS, 67457, with Pastor Keith Neill and Pastor Ted Weis officiating. In lieu of flowers, Sandy would have loved for donations to go to the Congregational church, either at the church address or Birzer Funeral Home, 214 West Ave. S., Lyons, KS, 67554.