Sandra Etta "Sandy" Johnson

Sandra E. (VanArsdale) Johnson passed away peacefully, at home, on October 4, 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. She was born to Justine and Fred VanArsdale in Indianapolis, IN on December 17th, 1940. When she was 17 months old, she lost her father when he saved his brother from drowning in White River. That may be where Sandy’s stamina came from. She was faced with many medical situations where most people would simply give up. Her mother married Earl Burkhead and they combined a family. Her brother Roy and step siblings Robert, Mary Lou and Joann preceded her in death. This marriage gave them their sister Donna. She is lovingly called Donnie and they shared a special relationship that only sisters can understand. She leaves her husband Jerry, her children Christine (Ray) Pagenkopf, Tamara (Dennis) Ballard, Tina (Tony) Elliott and Jerry Johnson Jr., four granddaughters; Amanda (Jason) Rhoton, Ashley (Scott) Henderson, Megan (Lane) Arnott and Brittany (Casey) Elliott. She had 11 great grandchildren. Jacob, Jayden, Kayson, Gabriel, and Acelynn Rhoton. Brendan and Gabrielle Henderson, Lilly, Lucy, Sawyer and Gracie Elliott. She graduated from Ben Davis High School and started her working career at 16 years old. Her first job was at Block’s Department Store, downtown Indianapolis. They put her in the Lionel Train department, she had no knowledge of trains. Christmas time she moved to gift wrapping. Unfortunately, she couldn’t wrap gifts very well. After graduation she worked for IMPD, a job that her brother, Roy VanArsdale, helped her get as he was a police officer. She was much more adept at office work than her previous profession. From this job she moved into the Trucking Industry (aka Logistics). She had finally found her niche. She held various positions at Lovelace Trucking, where she met Jerry. When they closed she moved to ABF. She said she was working until she paid off some bills and saved a little nest egg. It took a while to fill the nest because, she didn’t retire until September 1998. She worked a total of 42 years. Sandy and Jerry were married in Las Vegas on July 27, 1977. They were married for 44 years. They returned to Vegas throughout the years because they enjoyed casinos and horse racing. One time on the way to a track, in their brand-new Rivera car, the head gaskets blew. Sandy called GM and was told that the head gaskets didn’t blow because, they didn’t blow in Rivera’s. She was a petite woman, but when she was mad, she was a giant. After several choice words and raised voices she got her point across. They were able to get another car and go on to the track. She was definitely the disciplinarian of the family. One time on the way home from a family trip to Gatlinburg she told Jerry to pull over, they were on the interstate, and she took each child out of the car. They were not behaving and wouldn’t listen. She whipped each one and put them back in the car. The rest of the ride home went much smoother. This was before time-out was invented. Sandy didn’t like to ride amusement rides. One time on a family vacation to Disney World she watched the fun from a bench. That year for Christmas all the kids got a camera, and everyone took theirs with them on the trip. Since Sandy didn’t ride, they all left their camera with her to guard on the bench. Unfortunately, there are no pictures from that outing because, as Sandy was watching the kids ride, someone took all four cameras. She lived a very good life, and she has left a lot of friends and family that will miss her dearly. I’m sure if she could tell them anything it would be that she loved them all and for them not to be sad, because she is pain free for the first time in many years. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 8, 2021 from 11-1 PM at Flanner Buchanan Decatur Township with the Funeral Service at 1:00 PM there. ***Please note that these times are different than what was published in the Indianapolis Star on October 6, 2021. *** She will be laid to rest at Maple Hill Cemetery in Plainfield, IN.
The family would like to thank all the Medical and Support Staff at Indiana University Hospital West and the Life’s Journey Hospice for their loving care for Sandy, it is greatly appreciated.
To sign the online registry and share a favorite memory with her family go to www.flannerbuchanan.com