Sandra Peilen Heller

Sandra Peilen Heller died at her home on Saturday, January 25, 2020, of congestive heart failure. She was 87 years old. Sandy was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on December 22, 1932, daughter of the late Louis and Edith Peilen. She was the wife and indefatigable companion of Edward Heller for 60 years, until his death in 2013. She is survived by her children, Karen Heller (Robert Becker), Sally Heller, Mildred Heller (George Denegre), and Barbara Heller, and her treasured grandchildren Isabelle Meyers, Edward Denegre, Mathilde Denegre, and Tobias Heller. Her sister, Barbara Sarbach, preceded her in death.

Sandy grew up in St. Paul and personified Minnesota Nice before the phrase existed. When she took the train by herself down to Sophie Newcomb College in 1949, she had never before set foot in New Orleans, but became a deeply-rooted New Orleanian while retaining her Midwestern optimism. She met Edward her sophomore year, married him her junior year, and graduated in 1954.

Sandy went back to school and received her Master’s in Social Work from Tulane University in 1986. For fifteen years, she served as the Older Adult Director at the Jewish Community Center, where she originated ACE, the Alzheimer’s Care and Enrichment Program, which is still going strong. The JCC seniors adored her, as did the third-and-fourth graders she taught at The Metairie Park Country Day School in the 1970s after receiving a certificate in teaching—and as did everyone lucky enough to meet Sandy. Her empathy was legendary, her friendships lasting, her enthusiasm and curiosity boundless; her daughters hoped she would live forever.

Sandy was a Life Member of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee, which in the 1960s stocked the fledgling university’s libraries with more than 400,000 volumes. This was a natural fit for Sandy, an avid reader and member of multiple book clubs. She served on the board of Touro Infirmary and volunteered with The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, where she was an Endowed Lion of Judah. She also volunteered with The National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, The Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, and Temple Sinai.

She volunteered as a docent in The French Quarter and was active in The Experiment in International Living. Together, Sandy and Edward travelled the world: China, Japan, India, Tehran, Egypt and most of Europe.

Services will be held at Temple Sinai, 6227 St. Charles Avenue, on Sunday, February 2, at 1:00 pm, followed by a reception. Visitation begins at 12:00 noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Temple Sinai, the JCC, Jewish Family Service, The Innocence Project, or the charity of your choice.

An online guestbook is available at www.lakelawnmetairie.com.