Sandra Lee Fecht

Sandra “Sandy” Lee Fecht was born June 10, 1956, in Sacramento, California, to James and Ann (Roll) Porter. Her father was in the military, so the family moved often, never allowing Sandy to settle into a normal life with friends and school activities. They were stationed in Alaska and Kentucky for a time and Virginia Beach where Sandy made cherished memories of their time at the beach almost daily. When her dad was stationed overseas when the kids were young, their mom took them to Pennsylvania to stay with her extended family there. After graduating from Fort Knox High School in Tennessee, the family moved to Germany for a year, and she was able to experience life abroad. Upon return to the US, Sandy settled for a bit in Pocatello, Idaho. While visiting a friend’s apartment, Sandy was introduced to Wayne Fecht, who was house sitting for her friend’s landlord. Sandy and Wayne connected instantly and began dating. They married on May 18, 1983, just three days after Wayne graduated from college. His first job took him to Texas where they settled into family life and welcomed their daughter. They knew they would like to raise their daughter near family, so when a job opportunity came up in Oregon, the family jumped at the chance to be near Sandy’s parents who had retired to Washington. Sandy and Wayne settled in Salem, Oregon, determined to set down deep roots and never move their daughter away from school and friends. Sandy took a job with the Salem-Keizer School District as registrar, and she would remain there for almost 20 years. She enjoyed her job and co-workers, but she really loved working with the kids. Long after the kids had moved on from school, Sandy would often recognize them around town when she ran into them. She met one of the students, Jake Carr, when he was in middle school, and Sandy developed a deep fondness for him and the two had a special bond. A few years later, when Jake needed a safe place to land, the Fecht family took him in and gained a beloved bonus son. Some of Sandy’s hobbies included cross stitch and toll painting, and many of her painted creations are with family and friends to this day. She loved her family above all else and loved to spend time with them whenever she could. Sandy even babysat Jake’s son three days a week for a while. She did enjoy occasional trips to the coast with her husband but was mostly a homebody. Sandy was reserved when in the presence of people that she did not know well, but once she was comfortable around someone, she was relaxed and enjoyed socializing. On August 10, 2021, Sandy passed away unexpectedly at the age of 65. She was preceded in death by her parents, and will be deeply missed by the family she leaves behind including her husband Wayne; daughter Melanie Fecht; bonus son Jacob (Kali) Carr; grandchildren Huxley and Bridger Carr plus one on the way and Sawyer Fecht and baby girl on the way; and siblings Margaret “Peggy” (Christopher) Brayton and James Porter.