CAMDEN POINT, Mo. – Sandra K. (Bechter) Price passed away Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, at her home in Camden Point, Missouri, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Sandy was born Feb. 8, 1954, in St. Joseph, to Harold F. Bechter and Evelyn Jean (Payne) Bechter. She was raised in Savanah, Missouri, and graduated from Savanah High School in 1972.
She attended Northwest Missouri State University and completed her Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Missouri, Columbia. She began her career with the Division of Family Services, in St. Joseph, in 1977. She met David Price that same year and they married in Sept. 1978. In 1982 she decided to make a career change and was accepted into the nursing program at Missouri Western State University and graduated from that program in 1984. She had an acute awareness into the human condition, observational skills that were unmatched, the ability to communicate her thoughts, feelings and ideas effectively and a strong desire to help others. These skills led her into a career in psychiatric nursing which lasted 36 years.
Her passion was working with children, adolescents and families. She spent the last 21 years working at Children’s Mercy Hospital in the Developmental and Behavioral Health clinic. She served in various roles including staff nurse, clinical Nurse Manager and Nursing Program Coordinator for the Tourette syndrome Center. During her time as the Nursing Program Coordinator, she was instrumental in helping the clinic achieve Center of Excellence recognition from the Tourette Association of America. She helped create and lay the foundation for what the Tourette Syndrome Center of Excellence is at Children’s Mercy today. She received many honors while at Children’s Mercy including: March of Dimes Behavioral Health Nurse of the year finalist, Certification in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Bernell Hevner O’Donell, RN Award for Excellence in Psychosocial Nursing, 11 time Daisy Award nominee and Children’s Mercy employee of the month award. Sandy’s advocacy for patients with mental illness spread nationally through her collaboration with the Tourette Association of America, including being a co-facilitator of a CBIT training certification for participants from across the nation and multiple podium presentations.
She led a very active personal and social life. She loved animals, had several horses over the years as well as dogs and cats. Her favorite cartoon character was “Snoopy” and she had a special love for her three beagles. Sandy enjoyed going to the Ozarks over the past 40 years and spending time at their cabin on Tablerock Lake. She loved spending time on the lake, swimming, fishing and just relaxing. She was an avid reader in her free time and liked relaxing with a good book. She also had a good ear for music, enjoyed live music venues and attending music festivals. She developed an interest in fly fishing over the past eight years and travelled to Colorado with friends several times to fish in the mountain streams and rivers. Her compassion, caring and sense of humor led to many friends. She will be greatly missed but her spirit lives on. Our hearts may be broken but our spirits are not.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, David Price, several cousins, nieces, nephew and great-nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. followed by a service at 2 p.m. at the Rollins Funeral Home in Platte City, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to St. Luke’s Hospice or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements by Rollins Funeral Home, Platte City, Missouri. 816.858.2129. www.rollinsfuneralhome.net As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
Credit: Source link
