Sandra “Sandy” Ramona Velesovsky, who managed Stan’s Drive-In, a family restaurant known for its soups and burgers in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, died April 6, 2026, in Chicago with her family at her side. She was 83.
She is survived by two daughters: Julie Kenney and Deanna Roadhouse; two sons: Bobby Velesovsky and Daniel Veles; her ex-husband, Robert G. Velesovsky; her sister, Barbara Hollingshead; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and Margaret Lenart; her son, Robert J. Veles; her daughter, Deanna Roadhouse; and her grandsons, Edward and Joseph Veles.
Velesovsky was born Jan. 31, 1943, in Chicago. She graduated from Harrison Technical High School and worked for 40 years at Stan’s Drive-In, the family restaurant in the Bridgeport neighborhood, where she managed operations for many years. The restaurant was known for its home-cooked food, particularly its soups and burgers, and had a loyal customer base.
Velesovsky married her high school sweetheart, Robert G. Velesovsky, in 1961. The couple divorced in 1972 but remained friends. She was devoted to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was known for calling family members on their birthdays and anniversaries to sing to them. She enjoyed cooking, gambling and playing Scrabble.
Visitation and a celebration of life will be held Friday, April 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Ave., Justice, Illinois.
A service and time of remembrance will be held Friday, April 24, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
A graveside burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery.
Per her wishes, Velesovsky was cremated.