A transplant to Rugby, Sandy Mongeon enjoys what this small rural city has to offer. She has lived in Rugby for the past 3 years.

People from the areas of Towner and Rolette may remember her as she lived in Towner at one time and still has family in Rolette

Mongeon moved to Rugby from Fargo in 2009. She had retired in 2008 and was ready for a change. Her son, Jason Mongeon, who currently teaches in Towner but was teaching in Rugby at the time, called his mom to tell her about a house that was available in Rugby that he thought would meet her needs. She took a look at the home and decided it would be perfect for her. For the past year, Sandy had been helping care for her close friend, Beth as she battled cancer. Beth lost her battle with cancer.

“I knew it would be lonely in Fargo without her,” said Sandy. “When Jason called I was ready to move.”

When Sandy and her husband, Kent, lived in Towner, they were raising a family of five. The two oldest, Michelle and Jason graduated from Towner High School.

The family moved to Lisbon where Danielle and Marc graduated from high school and the youngest, Chris graduated from Fargo North High School where they moved after Kent died of cancer in 1992. Sandy has 12 grandchildren whom she loves to visit.

Sandy was married to Barry Stewart for 11 years before his death in 2006.

Before she retired in 2008, Sandy worked at various occupations of interest over the years in addition to being a homemaker and mother. Her favorite job was at Winger’s Cheese in Towner.

“I like the people I worked with,” said Sandy with her characteristic exuberance. “I liked what I did and I just felt good about myself when I worked there. Jim Winger was very good to the employees.”

Now, she is back in the area, and she enjoys living in Rugby, too. She has many interests including reading, watching television specials on history, science and nature.

“I like someone to find nature and have it there for me to see in a nice little package,” said Sandy with a smile. “I don’t want to go trampingin it. I can watch it from the comfort of my living room.”

She does have a sense of adventure, too. Sandy and a friend took a white water rafting trip on the Rio Grande River in New Mexico in 2009 which is something she always wanted to do.

Sandy loves to travel and has been on both the east and west coasts, all around the midwest, Florida, New Mexico, Hawaii and the list goes on. She has also been to Spain and Winnipeg and Vancouver in Canada.

Sandy is a life-long learner who continues to take classes in areas that interest her.

Retirement hasn’t slowed her down much, she is active in the community as a Lions member and 3rd vice-president, serves on the library board and is a member of Catholic Daughters. She volunteers at the hospital gift shop and assists with Wednesday Mass at Long Term Care. She enjoys playing Mahjong with her friends during the week.

“Rugby is the perfect size town for me,” said Sandy. it has plenty to keep me busy. I like not having to fight traffic. People have been friendly. This town has a wonderful library and all of the music activities like the concert series and Music in the Park.”