Sandra Lee Carreño

Sandra Lee Carreño, of Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin passed away on Friday, September 15, 2023. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, daughter of MaryJane (Nee:Fojut) and the late Jesse Carreño.

She grew up attending St. Lucy's School and graduated from St. Catherine's High School with the “Class of 1980”. After high school, Sandy moved to Madison and worked at the Wisconsin Capitol as the Legislative Head Page for the Wisconsin State Assembly for several years. After she'd return back home to graduate from U.W. Parkside with a Bachelor’s in Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology in 1993.

Sandy was a dedicated, hardworking and devoted employee. She retired from the Department of Home Land Security-U.S. Customs and Border Protection as a Federal Officer, working in both the Milwaukee and Chicago area. She was a Special Operations Inspector and Firearms Instructor with twenty-five years of service to her country. In addition, Sandra was proud to be the only female firearms instructor in the area.

She was always known to put her family first. She was affectionately known as “Auntie” and deeply loved by her niece and nephews. She made time to be involved in their lives, often traveling to Maryland and Georgia for visits and to attend many school events.

Sandy also enjoyed doing puzzles, gardening, cooking, shopping, listening to music, dancing and savored the Holidays and decorating. She had a sense of adventure like her Dad. And was known to take spur of the moment trips traveling across country and internationally with friends and family. She was an avid Wisconsin Badger supporter. A true Bucky fan.

Sandy loved dogs-especially her Labrador Miley and Molly Paco, the family Chihuahua. She had impeccable taste and beautiful style. From her home to her fashion she had skill for interior design, beauty and fashion. Her inner beauty shined onto everything she touched.

Sandra handled her illness with bravery, humility and grace. She will be in our hearts forever.

Sandy is survived by Randy Kuzia, the love of her life, of Mt. Pleasant, WI. Her adopted family Christy (Raven) Kuzia of MN and Laura, Lincoln and Callan Anderson of WI. She will be dearly missed by her mother MaryJane Carreño of Mt. Pleasant, WI; sisters: Susan (John Costelloe) Carreño of Algonquin, IL, Nancy Carreño of Mt. Pleasant, WI; brother: David (Cynthia) Carreño of Villa Rica, GA; niece: Angela Arnold of Mt. Pleasant, WI and nephews: William Arnold of Madison, WI, J.T. and Cameron Carreño of Villa Rica, GA. She is preceded in death by her loving father Jesse Carreño.

A special thank you for the compassionate care given to Sandy during her time of need by Tekoah, Dee and Jerilyn.

Visitation will be on Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at the funeral home. There will be visitation from 9:00am-10:00am with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated Friday, September 22, 2023 to follow at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6400 Spring Street, Mt. Pleasant, WI. Interment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions can be made to: Online gift, please visit the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center giving page or at https://www.wiscmedicine.org/alzheimers and select Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. Checks may be made payable to St. Catherine’s “Our Time is Now” Fund Drive, 1200 Park Avenue, Racine, WI 53403.