John "Peter" Sandstrum, 84, passed away on March 5, 2025, in Roseville, CA. He was born in Sacramento on June 1, 1940, to Edgar James Sandstrum of Dayton, WA, and Lola May (Holloway) Sandstrum of Flora, OR.

Peter's early years were spent in San Francisco, where his father worked in the shipyards during the war. Afterwards the family lived in Dayton, where Peter started first grade. He spent the rest of his elementary school years in Compton, CA, after which the family moved to Inglewood, where he attended Morningside High School. Peter had fond high school memories and up until a few years ago was still attending class of 1958 reunions.

After high school, Peter enlisted in the Air Force and specialized in electronics. He spent time in Libya working on radio communications with the British, and then in France, where he missed the chance to see Edith Piaf perform at a local club because he had to work that night on base. When he returned stateside, Peter attended Valley College in Van Nuys and then earned a certificate from Control Data Institute. That set him on a path towards a rewarding career installing and repairing equipment, starting with dishwashers and then printing presses, and then moving on to CT scanners, MRIs, and mammography units.

In 1968, Peter met Irma Helena Vatilo-Jouppi of Laihia, Finland, at a bar in Panorama City. Irma was a labor and delivery nurse at nearby Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, CA. Peter and Irma were married in Las Vegas on July 7, 1969. They raised two daughters, Maria and Anna-Lisa, and the family lived in Simi Valley, Somis, CA; Heusenstamm, Germany; Mission Viejo, CA; and then Somis again. Peter and Irma later lived in Camas, WA; and then Camarillo, Lincoln, and lastly, Rocklin, CA.

Peter's work took him to Argentina, Russia, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, and Ukraine, among others, and his claim to fame was that as a field service engineer for General Electric, he installed the first CT scanner at the KGB Hospital in Moscow in 1979. He was once summoned from West Germany to Russia by his KGB minder (the "office manager" for General Electric's Moscow office) so that Peter could ensure the CT was in perfect condition for a very important patient.  Leonid Brezhnev was being scanned.

Peter is survived by his wife of 55 years, Irma, who lives in a memory care facility in Rocklin, CA. He is also survived by his two daughters, Maria (Hector) Romero of Rocklin, and Anna-Lisa (Terry Sullivan) Sandstrum of Portland, OR; two granddaughters, Bella and Annais Romero; and two younger sisters, Rose Marie "Jan" Sandstrum of West Linn, OR, and Christina Love of Houston, TX. He leaves behind his wife's US-based relations: the Makikahma-Smith-Donis family, with whom he celebrated so many holidays and milestones. He is also survived by his nieces Elizabeth and Chris; nephews Jon, Chuck, and Matt; and his many dear Holloway cousins (and outlaws) who brought him so much joy. He is predeceased by his parents; his older brother, Robert; his younger sister, Judy; and his nieces, Lori and Michelle.

The family would like to thank the wonderful nurses, CNAs, cleaning staff, security personnel, and chaplains at Sutter Roseville Hospital whose thoughtful care made his last days so comfortable. There aren't enough French pastries in the world to adequately thank them for their wisdom, humanity, kindness, and tireless work. We also owe a huge thanks to the staff at The Villas in Rocklin, where Peter spent the last three and half years of his life. Thank you Scott Hegedus for the care and companionship you gave Peter. He so enjoyed your company and friendship.

A graveside service will be held at the Dayton Cemetery on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 1:00 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life held at Corbeill Funeral Homes in Dayton starting at 2:00 PM. A BBQ dinner will follow at 5pm at R and B BBQ in Dayton, with a hosted bar to follow across the street at The Hotel Hardware. Family, friends, and shirttail cousins welcome.