Sandie Sue (Turpin) Cole

Like the canvases she so thoughtfully created, artist Sandie Cole lived her 49 years full of color and energy. God commissioned her for celestial work on Jan. 26, 2015.

Sandra Sue Turpin was born to John Franklin Turpin and Libbie Anita "Ann" Turpin on Jan. 17, 1966, in Fort Scott, Kan. Sandie spent her childhood in small Missouri towns , including Butler, Amoret, Stotesbury, Peculiar and Nevada. She graduated in 1984 from Nevada High School, in Nevada, Mo., where she served as the school mascot. Sandie held a bachelor of fine arts degree from Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Mo. She majored in design and illustration and graduated in 1988.

Sandie was employed by Super Club and The Nielsen Co. She wed her soulmate, Jeff Cole, on April 21, 1995, in Addison, Texas, and was honored to help raise their son, Alex. Sandie had her own art boutique, Creatively Inspired, in Keller, for a couple of years. She and her husband also owned a bakery, The Happy Oven, in Keller, for a short time in 2013.

Sandie bravely battled breast cancer for three and a half years and was determined to not allow the disease define her. She fought with every ounce of her being and made every moment count. She truly lived life to the fullest and was grateful to have her husband and best friend, Elva, by her side for all of her medical procedures.

She was very proud of her son's accomplishments and was looking forward to his wedding to Amy Bunch in May and his graduation from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in June.

In addition to painting, Sandie loved hosting parties, shopping for bargains, having lunch with friends, playing word and dice games, singing, wearing bright colors, polishing her nails, watching Keith Urban on "American Idol," walking on the beach in Aruba, and spoiling her kitties rotten.

Sandie was known for her creative skills and everyone delighted in receiving her elegantly wrapped gifts. Her loved ones will never forget her radiant smile, her positive attitude, her sense of humor, her spunk or her generous spirit.

Those who preceded her in death include: her paternal grandparents, Wilford and Mary Turpin; her maternal grandparents, Oscar and Alidene Brewer; her stepgrandfather, Bobby Moles; and her mother, Libbie Anita "Ann" Scott.

Survivors include her husband, Jeffery Cole, of Roanoke, Texas; one son and his fiancée, Alexander Cole and Amy Bunch, of Chicago, Ill.; her parents, John and Carol Turpin, of Branson, Mo.; her stepdad, Russ Scott, of Fort Scott, Kan.; her stepgrandmother, Ruth Moles, of Adrian, Mo.; her best friend, Elva Banales, of Carrollton, Texas; four sisters and their spouses, Dollie and Tom Cromwell, of Plymouth, Wis., Christy and Chris Weaver, of Plano, Texas, Tammy Lethcho, of Branson, Mo., and Casey and Tim Beasley, of Springfield, Mo.; one brother, Gary Turpin, of Princeton, Texas; a special cousin, Lisa Kizer, of Valley View, Texas; a "sis-tah," Susan Clark of Lee's Summit, Mo.; many special friends; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of Sandie's life will be hosted by her family at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, in the Lecture Hall at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., in Fort Worth.

The family kindly requests no flowers. Donations may be made toward the purchase of a bench in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Checks may be mailed to Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76107-3420. Please note Sandie Cole Memorial Bench in the memo line.

Her husband is hopeful that, at some point in the future, all who knew Sandie will select a special gift for a loved one or stranger in need, wrap it in colorful paper with beautiful embellishments and give it to the recipient in memory of Sandie.

Sandie was our gift. May we lovingly continue her traditions.