Jeanette "Sam" Erwin

Jeanette “Sam” Erwin (Gloria Sandoval), 69, of West Des Moines, IA, passed away peacefully on April 13, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on August 16, 1956, in Tooele, Utah, to Tanislau “Tony” and Mary Sandoval, Sam graduated from Tooele High School and joined the U.S. Army in April 1976. While in the military, she found the love of her life, Rick Erwin, and in 1978, she left the service to give birth to their son, David. Rick and Sam later married on August 1, 1981 and lived as a military family in Germany and Georgia before settling into civilian life in West Des Moines, IA.
After her military service, she was employed as an executive secretary, staff development coordinator for the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, and youth minister at St. Francis of Assisi before finding her passion as an art therapist. She worked in private practice with UnityPoint, Broadlawns, and Pasadena Village, where she combined her passions for art and helping others. She found joy in art and gardening and loved to travel, especially cherishing the memories she made on youth service trips.

She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Rick; her son, David; her brothers, Roy Sandoval and Father Clarence Sandoval, serving the Diocese of Salt Lake City; and her sister, Wilma Billman.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Stanley Sandoval of Tooele, UT; and her grandparents, Emilio Mondragon and Eulogia Sandoval of Ranchos de Taos, NM, and Manuel Sandoval and Amalia Sandoval of Costilla, NM.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in Des Moines, Iowa with visitation one hour prior.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Parkinson’s Disease Foundation in loving memory of Sam.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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