Carol Helen "Sidney" Sands

Carol Helen Sands (nee Wrecza), also known as “Sidney”, of Ft. Collins, Colorado, was born on December 1, 1938, She was born to Edward F. and Helen Wrecza (nee Gromacki) and raised in Milwaukee, WI in an area called Riverwest. Carol passed away on March 26, 2026 in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Her family home on Humboldt Blvd. was blessed to be near the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan, thus a love of swimming, fishing and boating. She loved sports and played Volleyball and Softball when not playing her favorite - Tennis.

Family life encouraged her spiritual values as well as a fondness of cards and board games. Just mention poker or pinochle and she would be ready for the card table.

She attended St. Mary Czestochowa, (elementary school, Messmer high school) and made life-long friends with Pauline Ruka, Joan Bennek, Joan Pytlik, and Angela Pienkos, who enjoyed Scouting, and Travel, as well as Polish Folk Dancing with Carol.

Sidney possessed a sense of adventure, which led her to a lifelong career in the airline industry. She was also a tour director in Washington DC for 16 years. Over the years she explored the lands and cultures of Africa, Asia, Australia, Alaska, Europe, and North and South America. A favorite destination were cruises to the South Pacific, Fiji, Tahiti and Samoa or a villa, chateau in Italy, France, and even Costa Rica. She spent her working lifetime with the airlines Northwest Orient, Pan Am and Delta.

During her career in tourism Carol lived in Washington DC, Annapolis and Baltimore Maryland. Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

She was preceded in death by her sister Corinne Wrecza Hellmer (C. Robert Hellmer) and Brother Edward M. Wrecza, Jan Matthew Wrecza (Elizabeth) of Pewaukee WI and former spouse Bob Sands. Survived by Nephew Christian and Maria Hellmer of Winston, Salem, NC, Great nephew and niece Ian and Corina Hellmer of North Carolina, nephew Matthew Louis Wrecza of West Milwaukee, grandnephew Gabriel and Grandniece Eloise, and numerous cousins and dear friends.

Visitation Saturday, May 9th, from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 18255 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM. Private burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, WI.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Messmer High School would be appreciated.

Sidney's Funeral Mass can be live streamed at: www.stdominic.net/live