Sandra “Sandy” Jean (Hinkle) Gillette, age 71, of Scottsbluff, NE passed away on December 26, 2022, at Regional West Medical Center with her companion, Ray “Frenchy” Rossignol and her sister, Linda, by her side. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service to honor her memory will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, January 12th, 2023, at the Rock Church in Scottsbluff. Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.
Sandy was one of six children born and raised in Scottsbluff, by parents, Alex and Freda Hinkle. She had four children: Tina, Sinda, Michael, and Jake. She was married twice, and finally found the love of her life when she met Ray “Frenchy” Rossignol.
The last few years that Frenchy and Sandy were together, Frenchy showed her how to have fun, and what it was like to love and to be loved. He treated her like a queen. He made her smile, introduced her to activities at the YMCA, made sure she was able to go to BINGO, and took her on trips to South Dakota. Above all else, he took care of her when she was sick. Sandy’s family is forever grateful for everything he did for her.
Those who knew Sandy, knew she was soft spoken, quite stubborn, and that she and her children suffered many years of domestic abuse. She struggled with low self-esteem and getting the courage to leave the bad situations she was in, until things really escalated, or she had no choice. Her family helped her out when she let them (thank goodness for family support, because not everyone has this). They stepped up to help she and her girls at different times throughout her life journey. Her brother, Roger, and his wife, Jeanine, helped her get organized to leave the terrible situation she was in with her first husband. Grandpa Alex and Grandma Freda took her daughter Tina in, and her other daughter, Sinda, went to live with Aunt Diane, Uncle Don and their family in Florida. Sandy found herself in another abusive relationship later in life, to which she could not bring herself to leave (with her boys) regardless of the help offered by her family and friends. Her sister Linda was there to help when Sandy was finally ready for a new start at a life of living on her own.
Survivors include her children, Tina (Luke) of Waconia, MN, Sinda (Dave) of Brighton, IL, and Michael and Jake both of Scottsbluff, NE; her partner and companion, Ray “Frenchy” Rossignol of Scottsbluff, NE; sisters, Linda (Lyle) of Scottsbluff, NE, Paulette (Michael) of Hemingford, NE, and Dianna of Cleremont, FL; brothers, Roger (Jeanine) of San Diego, CA, and Jeff (Marti) of The Villages, FL; as well as her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and of course, her fur-baby cat, Freedom.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers-in-law, Dennis Thomas and Donald Daiss.
May she rest in eternal peace, free of pain, suffering, and stress.
Everyone deserves a life free from domestic violence. Please reach out for help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence. ***National Domestic Violence/Abuse Hotline: Ph.1-800-799-7233 or SMS: Text START to 88788 ***
