Sandra Taylor Knowles

Born on December 31, 1941 Sandra Taylor Knowles demonstrated a flair for timing and the love of a good party from birth. She was a proud graduate of William Smith College and a life-long learner with a special interest in Anthropology and Archeology. She instilled a love of animals in each of her children through adventures like turning an 8-hour road trip to see cherished cousins into a family adventure known as The Great Bunny Snatch, when a surprised and rejected research rabbit moved from Pittsburg to Perintown. Her lifelong love of animals resulted in numerous strays finding their forever home as part of the menagerie calling Long Meadow Farm in Perintown Ohio, home. The family’s brood included horses, sheep, chickens, a resentful rescue goat from a medical lab, a rehabbing racoon and a donkey who frequently jumped paddock fences to breakfast with the town gas station proprietor.

Sandra could turn the most mundane activities like daily school pickups into a parent parade – by supplying waiting Moms with sparkly wands, capes, sashes and tiaras. This was more fun for the Moms than their waiting children. As the only Lotspeich students growing up on a farm, Knowles was known for arranging the best Show and Tell days in her children’s classes, bringing Pamper-fitted baby lambs or puppies to class for lessons on care and feeding. When the 5th grade needed golden rod or walnuts for the colonial wool dying activities, Sandra’s children arrived at school with enormous bags full of each, collected in their backyard field.

This field was host to her son Robbie’s 10th birthday which was scheduled to include a vigorous game of soccer and elaborate scavenger hunt, but was interrupted by the collapse of the abutting bridge that crossed the East Fork of the Little Miami River on Round Bottom Road. The earth-shaking noise and dust and debris was shocking – and fascinating to two dozen ten-year-olds! Sandy turned this frightening and surprising event into the party of the year, greeting each parent who came to retrieve their son with a generous glass of good wine and news of the day’s entertainment. All were amazed and grateful that no one had been hurt. The birthday party extended into the wee hours with a celebratory bonfire. This birthday party was spoken of for years.

Similarly, Sandra could turn an average, uneventful day working for Clermont County social services into a day often discussed as the highlight of colleagues’ tenure at CCSS. Sandra believed that work and fun did not have to be separate. To cheer up a newly single co-worker, Sandra hauled her large plastic chair mat through a stairwell and down a long hall into her friend’s office, threw it on the floor and did her best tap dance routine, which was repeated upon request, and attracted other colleagues to join her, inaugurating the first known coffee-break dance party in staid Clermont County’s social service history.

She will also be remembered for integrating the Batavia Rotary Club, which from its inception had only welcomed men. Her dear friend Tom Cole was among the club’s leaders and could not deny her membership as she met every written qualification. It may be noted that the club reverted to men-only when Sandra moved to Maine.

Sandra was an active parent participant at the Lotspeich May Fete, a champion for her children at Terrace Park swim meets, and a terror on the tennis court, besting almost every opponent with a surprisingly strong serve and quick court agility. She had been a nationally ranked player in her teens and she said Arther Ashe’s Head racket was built for her game.

As a single parent she managed to deliver children to soccer, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, Girl and Boy scout meetings, (sometimes on time - never her fault) and collected new groups of friends at each. She became a Scout Leader and a 4-H parent and was the most animated part of any cheering section, committed to equitably doling out her applause and support, regardless of team membership.

As a volunteer, she joined the Junior League and organized the musical performances for Cincinnati’s Appalachian Festival. She took family and friends to Berea, Kentucky to audition acts, and it is among their fondest memories listening to mountain music being played in a jewelry store on Main Street that had been pressed into service for the auditions. She could play the 12-string guitar, piano and banjo and loved to host sing-alongs from campfires to her kitchen.

Every party was more sparkly for Sandra’s wisdom, quick wit and infectious laughter. She was also grateful to her extraordinary group of friends who kept her spirits and finances afloat during lean and challenging years. Her village is still much loved and appreciated by her children, who have modelled their own relationships on those lifelines they watched their mother build and cherish.

She was a wonderful neighbor and friend and counted among her proudest accomplishments teaching her 50-year-old neighbor Mary Embry how to drive, providing new freedom and independence to a hard working and much loved friend.

Liberal and progressive politics were instilled at an early age through stories passed down to her from her parents. Last year as part of a writing exercise she wrote about her father Bob and his teenage friends sneaking into a town meeting space, removing and then ceremoniously burning the white robes of local members of the despicable KKK. These were lessons she passed along to her own children in 1968 when the car she was driving became surrounded by rioters in Avondale, Ohio. Instead of reacting in fear, she calmly explained to her car full of children the heartbreak and anger being expressed by the Black residents because Martin Luther King had just been killed – she said “the violence and anger is outrage, shock and sadness. Their hope for a better life and equal treatment was thwarted when Dr. King was killed”. They escaped the riot, but the image and conviction about racial injustice and systems of oppression remained with each of her children.

In her final decade, her political leanings hardened and she talked democratic politics consistently at the senior centers in Kensington Maryland, and Hull and Cohasset, Massachusetts. She became a vocal champion for all seniors to have access to the protections included in Maine’s unique Improvident Transfer Act, which she believed should be enacted in all 50 states.

As the Executive Director of the Lewiston Housing Authority she held numerous local and national leadership positions which required her to travel including to be a speaker as the President of New England NAHRO at their National conference in Washington DC. On one such trip, she is remembered for generously treating her children and their friends to fourth row seats for a performance of Lily Tomlin’s Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe at the Kennedy Center before dancing the night away with Amy, Katie, and their friends Angela and Allison at the Georgetown Boathouse. When asked, participants remember Sandra being the last to want to leave the extraordinary fun.

On December 31, 1991 she celebrated her 50th birthday in Poland Maine with a happy gathering that included lobster, champagne and plans for skeet shooting in her back field. However, the highlight of the day was the surprise arrival of a dozen of her Ohio friends, who made the trek to surprise her and to attend her wedding the next day.

On January 1, 1992 Sandra wed the love of her life, William D. Willett who brought fun, mischief, and a fantastic sailboat, the Quietly II, into the life of this single mother.

Their marriage included Bill’s relocation from Glastonbury Connecticut to Poland, Maine where he became the housing authority director for South Portland. Theirs was a love that included camping trips, international travel, and overnight sails on Bill’s gorgeous sailboat.

Sandra was at her very happiest when her home was filled with family and friends, who would gather at the dinner table for great stories and New England fare. She taught and required excellent table manners at meals so that her children, grandchildren or any young guests could feel welcome and relaxed at any table. “What if you are invited to eat at the White House!?” she would often ask - a notion not so far-fetched, as her mother Barbara was a guest of the Roosevelts multiple times, daughter Amy had the privilege of dining at the White House, as did her granddaughter Cynthia who was the guest of Margaret and Carl Willock’s granddaughter and friend Caroline in the Clinton’s White House.

At the end of her 70’s and early 80’s Sandra continued her love of writing and rhyming tributes to friends, offering these poetic creations as her gift to commemorate birthdays, weddings or anniversaries. She loved the water, loved to swim and sunbathe at Nantasket Beach and enjoyed shopping trips with pals from the Hull Senior Center. She found kindred spirits at Wellspring Multi-Services as she shopped and donated, and she enjoyed mulling over and solving the world’s problems with new friends.

She survived COVID and proudly lined up for her first vaccine and booster shots at Gillette Stadium grateful for the life-saving signs of the advancement of science. COVID also required the redesign of the planned giant celebration of her 80th birthday. Dozens of family and friends gathered via Zoom from California to Maine and Ohio to North Carolina – from Massachusetts and Washington State. All gathered to reminisce about wonderful old times, and each remarked that Sandra looked so young and beautiful without chemical adjustments she still had dark brown hair! On December 31, 2021 – Sandra's 80th, she was delighted to host neighbors Kelsey Lebeau and Zephyr al-Aidroos whose giant “Happy Birthday Judy” sign (Zephy’s nickname for Sandy) surprised and delighted her, as did the in person and masked arrivals of the Toussaints, P. Reed Larsen (Junior and Senior), Marcia Emery, Betsy Wall, the Mechinos and James Laprade.

She was interesting and interested in the people around her until the end. She attended church loving time in Cohasset, at Boston’s Old North Church, and St. Stephen’s Boston, Hull town functions including the famous Thanksgiving Bon Fire and loved seeing friends at Hull’s Endless Summer celebration, and on her walking sojourns around her neighborhood.

No one enjoyed a gorgeous sunset more, nor that taste of coffee ice cream after a delicious dinner - eaten al fresco - on a back porch in Hull.

She will be missed and remembered whenever her children set a table for family and friends.

She leaves her brother Robert Mansfield Knowles (Cathy), niece Jessica, her children Amy Whitcomb Slemmer (TBD); Katherine Mansfield (Roland); Robert Weston Slemmer (Paige), James Francis Laprade (R. Thomas Lutzy) goddaughter Elizabeth Anderson Allgaier (Rich) and her beloved grandchildren Cynthia, Robbie, Molly, Andrew, Nanie (Delia) and Bobby (Henry) each of whom was her favorite in their age group!

She was a lifelong Episcopalian, though not an unwavering believer, and was delighted to return to the church of her childhood and the site of her confirmation – St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Cohasset, MA. A graveside service will be held on Monday, August 28th , 2023 at Noon at the Hillside Cemetery in Gorham, Maine where she will be interred with her husband Bill and her parents Barbara and Robert. Her daughter The Reverend Amy Whitcomb Slemmer, Esq will celebrate, and all are welcome to attend and participate as you are comfortable. Sandra’s wishes include the availability of communion, so communion will be served. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to support the ministries of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Cohasset, MA and the St. Stephens Youth Program in Boston. Most importantly, you are invited to surprise a friend with an impromptu tap dance, phone a loved one, include a lonely person at your table for a meal, or don a tiara as you retrieve a child or grandchild from school. The surprised smile and fun that follows is the best possible tribute to the life and legacy of Sandra Taylor Knowles.