Cliff Buchan
News EditorIt was far from unusual for Sandy Gilbertson to be the first to arrive for work and the last to leave at the end of the day.
It was that way during her 19 years as an owner of Lake Office Equipment in Forest Lake and at the Woolrich Outlet store in North Branch for the past 11 years.
Gilbertson, who spent parts of four decades working in the business sector, lost a long battle with cancer on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003. She was 50.
ìThe customer always came first,î said her husband of 28 years, Lance Gilbertson. ìShe was always customer orientated.î
As a business owner, Gilbertson said his wife always led by example. ìSheíd be the first at the office and stay until the work was done.î
The Gilbertsons owned Lake Office Equipment in Forest Lake from 1972 until 1991. During that 20-year span, Sandy Gilbertson ran the inside operation while her husband was in charge of outside sales.
At its peak, the Forest Lake-based business had offices in Anoka, White Bear Lake and Pine City and employed 25 people.
After selling the business in 1991, the couple took a year off before returning to work. Sandy Gilbertson was hired by the Tanger Outlet store and spent 11 years with Woolrich.
Gilbertson was a native of the New Brighton area and attended schools in St. Anthony Village and Anoka Ramsey Community College.
She joined her husband in the Lake Office business venture in 1972. The couple lived on Clear Lake here before moving to Linwood Township.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, her husband said. Her life was filled with love of family, work and gardening, her husband added.
A memorial service for Sandra A. Gilbertson was Saturday, Jan. 3 at First Congressional Church in Anoka.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Garett and Grant; parents Russell and Margaret Lundquist; sisters Barbara (Arnie) Olson, and Carol (Larry) Cudo; brother Richard (Barbara) Lundquist; and many relatives and friends.
Memorials are preferred to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.
Top of Page
