Sandra Gayle Newman

Sandra Gayle Newman passed on November 10th after a five-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born on February 9th, 1949, and lived in and around Oakford during her early life with her parents Donald LeRoy Stroh and Mary “Roberta” Anderson Stroh. She graduated from Oakford Grade School spending time at her parents Phillips 66 station in Oakford and went on to graduate at Porta where she was a class president, Homecoming Queen and Prom Queen. She attended Western Illinois University for one year and finished her degree in Home Economics at the University of Illinois and taught in Champaign for a year. At her parents’ request she stopped teaching and came home to manage the family Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Petersburg. When Robert Newman lost the lease on his pastures after the owner died, he went to work at New Salem Coca-Cola for two reasons: he wanted to pay his gas bill to Mr. Stroh, and he knew Sandy managed the plant. After two years they had their first date and married at the Rock Creek Church on October 8, 1983. They were lifelong members of Bethlehem Lutheran church in Petersburg where Sandy taught Sunday School for several years and they have recently been attending Zion Lutheran Church in Pleasant Plains as it is closer to their daughter’s home in Ashland. Recently they celebrated 42 years of marriage. During this time, they showed cattle at State and National fairs and Exhibitions and had a production sale. They always worked together from this time forward doing commercial baling encompassing 4,000 acres, running a 100 head registered Hereford herd, up to 800 outside hogs without confinement, all while working first at the Coke plant and then the gas station in Oakford. When Bob went to work as a gunmaker Sandy prepared meals for the movie stars and law enforcement officers, they trained at the farm and went on trips to Hollywood where they met and became friends with many of the old stars they had enjoyed watching when they were young. A highlight at the farm was when they hosted James Drury’s (The Virginian’s) 60th birthday at the farm where Sandy’s home economics degree shined as she prepared the meals for all the guests attending. They have a daughter Kimberly Gayle who married Sean Tomasko at the Rock Creek church with a reception at her parents’ farm which would inadvertently lead them into opening their barn as a reception center that they still operate after both retired from teaching at the A-C Central school system. Sandy taught at A-C for over thirty years. While earning her master’s degree in reading. Kimberly, Bob, and Sandy also helped the Stroh family with their ice cream trailer at county fairs and festivals. They hosted the Illinois Junior Hereford Expo at the Menard County Fairgrounds with Mark Wankel their partner, in several herd bulls. Bob taught at A-C Central for 17 years while driving a bus and earned his master’s in American history degree at Western Illinois University and was Illinois history educator of the year in 2005. They both retired from teaching the same year and now their daughter Kimberly teaches in Springfield after earning her master’s as a reading specialist and passing the National Boards. Sandy is survived by her husband Bob, her daughter Kim and her husband Sean as well as their two children Lillian and Levi whom Sandy doted on as her favorite grandchildren, also her niece Stephanie Webster and husband Tony along with their children Anika, Kyra, and Peyton, as well as the numerous cousins that she grew up with. Knowing time was short Kim had one request of Sandy. When she got to heaven, she wanted her to send her a calico kitten. To simplify a long story the day after Sandy passed the family gathered in the barn for lunch when Sean heard something metallic fall in the barn and he and Kim went together to investigate. They saw nothing until a small calico kitten fell out of the square baler at Kim’s feet. We call the kitten Angel. Sandy’s final resting place is at Rock Creek Cemetery where she was buried on November 18, 2025. Pallbearers were family and close friends, many of whom were either at or were part of their wedding, and a few invited guests for a small graveside ceremony followed by a celebration of life at the family reception center The Homestead. Sandy will be missed by so many friends, family, past students, and those she touched throughout her life that she decided to forgo a big funeral and visitation and keep things small like the town she grew up in. Hurley Funeral Home in Petersburg is assisting Sandy’s family with services. Please visit hurleyfh.com for Sandy’s online obituary.

Sandra Gayle Newman

February 9, 1949 - November 10, 2025

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