Corinne Marie (Boudreau) Sanford

Corinne Marie “Kim” Sanford, 97, of Aitkin, died Thursday, June 12, 2025, at her beloved home on Cedar Lake, surrounded by her family, covered in love and prayers. 

She was born February 14, 1928, in Hill City, Minnesota, to Henry and Anna (Dunn) Boudreau.  Graduating from Aitkin High School in 1946, Corinne attended St. Cloud Teachers College for several years before marrying the love of her life, Dean P. Sanford, at St. James Catholic Church in Aitkin on June 27, 1951.  After one year spent in Winnebago where Dean was a science and math teacher, they moved to Brainerd where he spent the next 32 years teaching junior high mathematics.

Their four children---Nancy, Michael, Anne, and Tom---were raised in Brainerd;  but the moment school was out for the summer, it was time to head to “the lake,” specifically the east bay of Cedar Lake.  There in 1957 Dean had built a seasonal cabin on the northern portion of his father’s land, which he and Corinne turned into their year-round home in 1985.  It would be impossible to enumerate all the joyous family gatherings;  the kitchen filled with pies, brownies, and other treats; the days filled with swimming, fishing, tubing, pontoon rides, grilling, and picnicking;  the evenings filled with more fishing or favorite card games.  Well into her nineties, Grandma Kim was still the one to beat at “Progressive” or “Kings in the Corner.”  Even playing the wrong card, she could get the giggles so hard that she’d be crying.

Corinne was a sports fanatic. In fact, she could name most of the starters on any Minnesota professional team. However, her true passion was following her grandchildren and great grandchildren in their sports exploits. When she became too frail to attend the events, she always wanted the play-by-play from those in attendance. She would be glued to the radio when games were covered. There is no person that has clocked more radio hours on KKIN through the years than Kim. She grew up in an era where she could not participate in sports in Aitkin beyond being a cheerleader. But she grew to fall in love with the competitiveness of sports. You would have to travel far and wide to find a kinder heart; unless one of “her” teams was not performing well.

She dearly loved her grandchildren--even getting down on the braided rug to drive little cars around--but nothing could make her face light up more than being introduced to a new great grandchild.  She loved baby snuggles.   Praise be to God for a life well-lived and for allowing this peaceful death at the lake.

Corinne is survived by her children, Nancy (Kerry) MacArthur, Aitkin;  Anne (Dan) Johanek, St. Cloud; and Tom (Steffanie) Sanford, Aitkin; grandchildren, Rob, Mary, and Phillip (Sarah) MacArthur, Elizabeth (Joshua) Korf, Anna (Samuel) Castro, Taylor (Hannah) Johanek, Amy (Casey) Poepping, Hunter, Jeb (Brittany), Wyatt (Ally), Addie, Gus, Blaise, and Bo Sanford; great-grandchildren, Kyle, Nathan, Damien, and Richard MacArthur; Henrietta and Roland Korf; Daniel, Samuel Jr., and Pearl Castro; Eve, Cora, and Simon Johanek; Chase, Audra, and Amelia Poepping; Thomas and Riley Sanford.

She was preceded in death her husband, Dean; her son, Michael in 2020; her parents, Henry and Anna, and her brothers, Carroll, Burton, and Jerry. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2025 at St. James Catholic Church in Aitkin with Father Keith Bertram officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior the service. A luncheon will follow in the church social hall.  Burial will be in St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery, Aitkin.   

If you would like to help us remember Corinne, memorials are preferred to St. James Catholic Church.  The family extends their heartfelt thanks.  No cards will be mailed.  To leave a message of condolence, please visit:  www.srtfuneral.com.  Arrangements are with Sorensen-Root-Thompson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Aitkin.

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