Sandra (McDowell) Gould

Deceased 1992

This biography is written in memory of my dear friend Sandy.
- Judy

We can all smile when we think of our classmate. Always laughing, loved by everyone, stellar athlete and a good friend was an apt description of Sandy McDowell.

After high school Sandy married Fred Gould and life was good. When I visited Sandy after the birth of her first child I marveled at how happy she was and how motherhood agreed with her. They moved from their apartment into a home and welcomed their second child. Shortly thereafter, Sandy’s younger sister Becky suddenly passed away of a massive stroke.

The combination of post-partum hormones and the loss of her beloved sister sent Sandy into a downward spiral from which she would not recover. Sandy was one of my very best friends and I thought that our friendship would go on as it was forever. But that was not to be.

When last I saw Sandy, a few years before her passing she spoke of her children and how she was sure that Fred was taking good care of them.

Fred and Sandy had two children; Fred Jr. who is now 48 and Debbie 47. Fred Jr. is married and lives in NH and has no children. He’s a software engineer with Texas Instruments. Debbie has one child, Haley, who is14 years old. Fred and his wife Pam of 28 years confirm that they are good grandparents spoiling Haley as expected.

“Good health and good sense are two of life’s greatest blessings.” Life is ironic. When I read Sandy’s quote from the yearbook it strikes me as foreboding because Sandy lost both good health and good sense due to mental illness.

My dear friend, life was unkind to you. Rest in peace knowing that you are remembered for the person you were meant to be.