Sandra Schwartz-Bryan

MADISON- Sandra Schwartz-Bryan passed away on January 24, 2018 in Middleton, WI. She was born Alexandra Lipsman in Omaha, NE on July 18,1930 to Rose (Katzman) Lipsman. Her father, Alex Lipsman after whom she was named, died tragically in a car accident six weeks before her birth. At the age of four, her mother remarried David Raznick who adopted Alexandra and older brother, Byron. Shortly thereafter, her name was changed to Sandra (Sandy) Raznick.

In 1948, at the age of 18, Sandy met and married the love of her life, Alan B. Schwartz. They spent the next 34 years together in Wisconsin, living first in Milwaukee and then moving to Madison in 1954 with their young sons, Steve and David. In Sandy's words, she and Alan "... had a wonderful marriage. We had the world by a string." They enjoyed one another's company and, thanks to Alan's thriving real estate business, had the opportunity to travel the world together. Alan's untimely death in 1982 from lung cancer left Sandy devastated.

Sandy's volunteer work as a meeting coordinator and fundraiser at the Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center provided an outlet for her grief and an opportunity to fight back at the cancer that had taken her beloved husband. It was at the cancer center that Sandy met Terry Bryan, an oncologist with whom she was married from 1985 until his death in 2017. Together they spent many happy years traveling, visiting friends and family, and living part of the year in Palm Desert, CA. Sandy's stepchildren are Mary Beth, Kathryn, George (Patricia), Joe and Amy.

Sandy's greatest joy was her grandchildren, Estee, Drew, Anna and Alison. She was determined to provide the same loving attention to them as was shown by her own grandparents during the trying years after her father's death. Whether for a birthday party, a school performance, a graduation, a swim meet or a baseball game in Japan, Sandy (aka Granny) was always there for her grandchildren.

Sandy is survived by her sons, Steve (Doris) Schwartz and David (Tina) Schwartz; grandchildren Estee Schwartz, Drew Schwartz, Anna (Jason) Shurak and Alison (Adam) VanEperen; great grandchildren Tova and Masden Shurak, Henry and Bode VanEperen; sisters Shirley Schwartz and Toby (Marshall) Forbes; sister-in-law Tille Raznick, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Sandy's family will be eternally grateful to the staff of Attic Angel for their kindness and compassion in her care. Those wishing to make a contribution in Sandy's honor can do so by donating to the Alzheimer's Association or the UW Carbone Cancer Center c/o Alan B. Schwartz Memorial Fund.


Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Rd, Madison
608-238-3434