Sandra Macaione

Sandy gave to the world around her more than she received. Known for her intelligent, witty mind, she retained volumes of knowledge long forgotten by others.

She graduated with honors from Putnam Connecticut Catholic Academy and was the first recipient of the Bishop Bernard Flanagan college scholarship to Amherst College. She received her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry, and her first job was as a research scientist for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. She later received a master’s degree in Earth Science and began her life’s work in teaching. She spent the next 25 years as an award-winning educator at Teachers Memorial Middle School in Norwich, Connecticut.

Never married, she forged a special bond with her niece and nephews and their families. Gina, James and Michael spend many hours visiting Aunt Sandy, and she was a mentor and powerful influence on their lives. She also had a very special relationship with her young cousins Joseph and Louis Rogulski. All the children in our extended family knew her as Aunt Sandy whether they held that official relationship or not. She never missed an event, birthday, graduation, or marriage, making it difficult to overstate her influence.

She moved to Melbourne Florida in early 2000’s and lived the remainder of her life there where she nurtured many friendships with her irresistibly engaging personality and wit. Although she lived in Florida, she never forgot her extended family in Connecticut.

Sandra had an independent and adventurous spirit. She traveled the world, and she loved the beach. She spent a year teaching in the Virgin Islands. She spent many summers as a teacher doing aquatic research on various vessels in Connecticut. No crossword puzzle stood a chance, and she was an avid competitive bridge player and enthusiastically played in various groups throughout her life. She sang in the church choir and performed in several musicals in community theater. Sandy loved fast cars. We all heard the stories from her youth when she could be seen rolling in a 64 T-bird convertible and later in life it was her IROC among many hot rods in between. She truly adored her cats: Yellow, Blackie and Hobbes who all predeceased her. Sandra will be remembered for her generosity, humor, and love for her family. She will be deeply missed.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents Frances and James Macaione and her Brother-in-law Raphael Grills. Left to cherish fond memories are her brother, Anthony (Jean) Macaione of Aurora, Ohio and their daughter Gina (Chris) Cummings. Her sister, Lucy (Macaione) Grills of Bay City, Michigan and her children James Grills and Michael (Lisa) Grills. She also had many adoring great nieces and nephews including Joseph and Landon Grills, and Athena Mishiyev, Alex, Olivia and Carly Grills and Brian and Kevin Cummings.

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday August 5, 2022. Family will receive friends at the Labenski Funeral Home, 107 Boswell Avenue, Norwich, CT, from 4-6 pm, and a memorial service will follow at 6pm. If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to the Sandra Macaione Science Award at the Teacher’s Memorial Middle School via Labenski Funeral Home.