Sandra (Melanson) Dee

Deceased January 1996

By Husband Jerry Dee

Why do bad things happen to good people? That old question is constantly asked by all of us who knew Sandra. As my wife and best friend, her passing at age 52 left a void that can never be filled. Sandra would light up any room she entered. Always positive and with a glass-half-full outlook, she took on all challenges, including her illness, with a can-do attitude. Following is just a brief glimpse into Sandra’s full and active life.

Upon graduation from MHS, she earned an associate degree and began work at Sylvania in Waltham. Shortly after, she and I married and had three children (Kathleen, William, Michael). For the next several years Sandy was a stay-at-home mom keeping busy as a leader with the Cub Scouts and Brownies, a Red Cross swimming instructor, and being among the first “hockey moms” (in a good way).

As our children grew, Sandy went back to work first as a secretary at MHS (working for Will DeRosa!) and later as a secretary for the principal of the Brookline NH elementary school. After residing in Maynard, Hudson and Stow, we moved to Brookline NH as I was transferred by Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) to Merrimack NH. Sandra soon started work also at DEC and quickly rose to a manager of a ten-person admin support group in DEC’s Sales Training. She also served several years as the treasurer of the district school board.

Sandra continued with her tennis, twice winning the Greater Nashua women’s doubles championship. She also enjoyed skiing and our trips to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Florida.

For two years, Sandra was able to enjoy three of our grandchildren. Now there are eight grandkids and they will never know what they’ve missed. She would have been the ‘mother of all grandmothers.' For all of our family, and, I think many others who came in contact with Sandy, we can say that to know her was to love her.