Sandra Terry Steinkamp, 77, of Robinson, IL, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2025, in the comfort of her home. Her story began on October 3, 1947, in Breese, IL, where she was born to George Lawrence & Caroline Theresa (Athmer) Deien. She grew up in Breese, attended St. Dominic School, and graduated from Mater Dei High School. Those early years instilled in her a sense of perseverance and care for others that would mark her entire life.
For most of her adult years, Sandy worked as a CNA, moving through the halls of several hospitals, always with a heart to serve. Caring for others wasn’t just a job for her, it was simply who she was. She found joy in making patients feel seen and cared for, often going the extra mile to bring comfort in difficult moments.
But more than anything, Sandy loved her house and all who called it “home”. She loved a clean house, a tidy space, and the sense of peace that came from order. Her home was her sanctuary, and she took pride in keeping it beautiful. When she wasn’t working around the house, she was pouring her time and energy into her family. To those who knew her best, she was a mother whose love knew no limits, the kind of mom who would walk through a brick wall if it meant protecting or providing for her children. Her family was the light of her life, and she was fiercely devoted to them.
Sandy married Charles Terry in 1970, and together they shared thirty years of life before his passing in 2000. In 2005, she married Wayne C. Steinkamp, with whom she shared eleven years before his passing in 2016. Wayne and Sandy made Robinson their home in 2010, where she continued to build a life centered around family and simple joys.
She will be remembered by her sons, Michael J. & Melissa Mersinger and Scott Terry; her granddaughters, Meghan and Sarah Mersinger; and her great-grandchildren, Kobe and Aleah. She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents; her sisters, Marilyn Shoemake and Kathleen Good; and both Charles and Wayne.
Sandy’s wish was to be cremated, with her remains are to be laid to rest next to Charles at Elmwood Cemetery in Centralia, IL, returning to where her story with him began.
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