Sandra Rae Moroney, 81, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 12, 2026, at Heritage of Sagewood in Grand Island.
Sandra was born on February 15, 1945, in Broken Bow, Nebraska, to Ira Harley Headley and Irene Goldie (Piel) Headley. She grew up in Broken Bow and graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1963. Growing up, she enjoyed spending time with her sister, Katherine, and her close friend and neighbor, Gretchen.
On May 29, 1971, Sandra was united in marriage to William Clair Moroney at St. Anselm Catholic Church in Anselmo, Nebraska. Together, they shared a life built on family, faith, and mutual devotion. The couple welcomed their daughter, Natalie Ann, in 1973.
Sandra worked in Broken Bow for Production Credit Association and the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Custer County. Her sharp mind and attention to detail served her well throughout her career as a secretary and bookkeeper. She dedicated more than two decades of loyal service to the Custer County Extension, working faithfully from March 1978 until her retirement in February 2000.
Sandra cherished the years she spent in Custer County and proudly called it home until September 2006, when she relocated to Gothenburg to be near her young granddaughters. In 2024, she moved to Grand Island to be closer to her daughter.
Sandra enjoyed genealogy, quilting, crocheting, and Bible study. She had a passion for researching family history and visiting cemeteries to document and preserve as much information as possible for future generations.
Throughout her life, Sandra was a faithful member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Merna, St. Anselm Catholic Church in Anselmo, and Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Gothenburg. She was also actively involved in numerous groups and organizations in the communities where she lived. Sandra especially enjoyed the friendships, fellowship, and social gatherings she shared with the many women she met through the years.
One of Sandra’s greatest loves was being a grandmother and spending time with her two granddaughters, Lauren Mary and Kara Ann. She treasured picking them up after school, attending their activities, and being an active part of their lives. She also cherished their many adventures together, including trips to Fort Robinson, Colorado, and Yellowstone National Park.
Sandra will be remembered for her strong faith, dedication to family, commitment to her community, and deep appreciation for her Nebraska roots. Her kindness, friendship, and unwavering love for those around her will be cherished by all who knew her.
Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Ira and Irene Headley; her husband, William Moroney; her sisters, Vivan (Evertt) Barnes and Dorothy (Eugene) Fenner, brother-in-law Thomas (Earleen) Moroney and many cherished relatives, friends, and neighbors.
She is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Natalie (Randall) Waskowiak; her two special granddaughters, Lauren (Max) Granstrom and Kara Waskowiak; her treasured great-granddaughter, Marianne Grace Granstrom; her sister, Katherine (Dennis) Holley, and their children, Denise and Scott; her brother-in-law, Roger (Shirley) Moroney; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors.
Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:30 AM at the St. Anselm’s Catholic Church in Anselmo, NE. Burial will follow in the Dale Catholic Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hastings College Foundation or St. Anselm’s Catholic Church. A visitation and time to greet the family will be held on Thursday, October 15th, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow, NE, with the Vigil Service at 6:30 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary. Govier Brothers Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Online words of remembrance or condolences may be left at govierbrothers.com
