Sandra Schattauer's businesses fulfilled lifelong dream
Sandra Schattauer was the pied piper of canines in Bradford Woods.
She used to grind up dog biscuits and mix them with gelato when customers of her coffee and ice cream shop, the Island Beanery, stopped by with their dogs.
"If a customer wanted a scoop for their dog, it was free of charge," said her daughter, Leslie Schattauer of McCandless. "She was 100,000 percent focused on making sure people were happy."
Sandra L. Schattauer of McCandless died Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010, of acute liver failure in ManorCare Health Services in Ross. She was 61.
She was born to the late George and Anna Lou Gold in Colton, Calif. The family moved to the North Side, and Mrs. Schattauer graduated from Perry High School, where she met her husband, David H. Schattauer, an athlete at Perry.
After graduation, she followed in her mother's footsteps and got a job at the H.J. Heinz Co. She started as a computer information operator in 1967 and rose to manager of human resources before leaving in 1997.
Mrs. Schattauer was active in the Cub Scouts and Brownies, to which her children belonged, and drove them to their various sporting events.
"She taught me how to be honest and loyal," said her son, David E. Schattauer of Gibsonia. "My mom really molded me and taught me how to do things right."
In 2001, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by starting a business, a day spa called Island Breezes Image Studio, in Warrendale. Four years later, she moved it to a century-old building in Bradford Woods that previously had been a general store and post office. She opened the Beanery next door.
Wooden parrots hung from the windows of the establishments. Enhancing the island feel were the bouncy sounds of reggae, salsa and merenguemusic, potted palm trees and vases, and ceramics and masks, many of which she picked up on vacations with her husband to the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean nations.
"It wasn't just your standard, black-and-white spa when you walked in," her daughter said. "It was colorful and happy and made people feel as if they had a bit of an escape."
She served at least a dozen flavors of gelato in the Beanery -- from bubble gum to coconut.
"She never drank a cup of coffee in her life, but she could tell you every single thing about every single kind of coffee available in that shop," Leslie Schattauer said.
In addition to her children, Mrs. Schattauer is survived by her husband; a brother, Edward Gold of Sharpsville in Mercer County; a sister, Catherine Lomb of Moon; and a stepfather, Harry Baker of Ross. She was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Perry.
Friends will be received from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. today and 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday in Schellhaas Funeral Home, 388 Center Ave., West View, where services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will follow at Allegheny County Memorial Park in McCandless.
