Obituary of Edward John Sandercock

When you were born you cried And the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die The world cries And you rejoice. Cherokee wisdom After a lovely day in the garden, John passed away suddenly in his home of an apparent heart attack. John was born in the quaint seacoast town of Boscastle, Cornwall, England to Joan and Fredrick Sandercock. He attended school in Boscastle excelling in music. As a member of the Boscastle Silver Band, he was a coronet soloist who performed at the Boscastle Flora Dance. After graduation, he joined the Royal Air Force for 10 years of service, playing his coronet in the RAF band and performing other duties excelling in marksmanship while stationed in Singapore and Germany. After his service, he held a variety of retail and security jobs in the Kings Lynn area of England. During these past years, he married and had two children, Mandy and Clair, and later a son, Damian, by a second marriage. Next John returned to Boscastle where he enjoyed working on a farm and later at the Wellington Hotel where he met his current wife, Sandi Oldenkamp. After a whirlwind courtship, John and Sandi were married on November 21, 1987 at the Oaks Pioneer Church in Portland. Later he worked for Columbia Guard Services and for the Naito Corporation at Montgomery Park as Head of Security and Master Gardener. Retiring in 2003, John devoted his time into making his English garden a showplace. Nicknamed the Mayor of the Block by a neighbor, he was always willing to help with gardening, pet and child care and was loved for his contagious optimism. In addition to gardening, John also loved taking trips to visit family in the US and abroad. John is survived by his wife; Sandi Oldenkamp of NE Portland, daughters; Mandy Sandercock of Kings Lynn, England and Clair (Greg) Stephens of Carroll, Manitoba, Canada, son; Damian (Emma) Sandercock of Downham Market, Norfolk, England, sister; Barbara (Jack) Hopkins of Boscastle, brother; Rodney (Margaret) Sandercock of Kings Lynn, England, brother and sister in law; Garneth and Brian Peterson of St. Paul, MN, parents in-law; George & Joann Oldenkamp of Rock Valley, Iowa, 6 grandchildren, 8 nieces & nephews and their families from various points around the globe. A celebration of John’s life will be held at a later time in Portland and also on the cliffs of Boscastle. Memorial Contributions may be made to Smile Train or the Oregon Humane Society. Arrangements by Crown Memorial Center – Portland.