Miriam S. Sandone

She was the beloved wife, for almost 58 years, of Joseph M. Sandone Jr. Miriam was a devoted mother to Denise Doyle (John) of Cherry Hill, Kathleen (Paul Colangelo) of Mickleton, Lisa Pirollo (Richard) of West Deptford, and Michael (Christina) of Gloucester Township, a loving mother-in-law to their spouses, and an adoring grandmother to their children, Katie, Robert, Brianna, Nick, Jack, John, and Lily. She was the dear sister of Barbara McDowell (Walter) of Trenton.

Miriam is also survived by her brothers-in-law Richard (Mary) of Marlton and Harry (Carol) of Gibbsboro but was predeceased recently by her sister-in-law Karen Brozina (James) of Millville. She leaves behind 9 nieces and nephews, 13 great-nieces/nephews, and countless friends.

Miriam was born to Nicholas and Barbara Stockman in Oswego, New York, where as a toddler her inability to pronounce “Barbara” branded her sister “Honey”; a name the younger Barbara still uses with family. By the time Miriam entered kindergarten the Stockmans lived in Upper Darby, PA. They later settled in Haddon Heights, where Miriam attended St. Rose of Lima Grammar School.

Miriam graduated from Camden Catholic High School, where she and her future husband excelled on a nationally ranked debate team. Named “Lit Brothers College Queen of 1959”, Miriam was awarded an entire wardrobe for her freshman year of college. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Drexel University in 1964.

After marrying, Miriam and her husband briefly lived with his parents, Joseph M. Sr. and Kathryn, and Miriam remained a devoted daughter-in-law when she and Joe moved nearby in Haddon Township. There she volunteered with the parent-teacher association, taught CCD, and generally ran a tight ship at home—because as Joe reminded everyone, “When Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”. But that discipline meant she had time for fun, too. She loved the beach and no one better mastered day trips to the Shore with children and friends; Miriam could bask in the sun, swim in the ocean, enjoy her Taylor Pork Roll on the boardwalk, swing by the farmer’s market for fresh Jersey corn and tomatoes, and still have dinner on the table by 6:00 pm when Joe returned from work. She was a tough competitor, and it wasn’t Christmas morning if the Sandones didn’t have at least one new board game that everyone knew was really for Miriam. She cherished the family’s annual trip to upstate New York, where she could visit with her retired parents, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins, enjoy her father’s boat, and teach her children to water ski. She planned numerous other vacations for her family, which has fond memories of road trips to Williamsburg, Washington D.C., Boston, Mystic, and Quebec/Montreal, and of riding the Auto-Train to Florida to drive to Disney World.

Miriam later put her affinity for numbers to work as an accountant in commodities trading at the Campbell Soup Company. Once retired, she resumed her afternoon coffee and tea with the “neighborhood ladies”, and she and Joe enjoyed spending time with family and friends, including dining out and traveling. Miriam especially cherished returning to Lake George, New York, with Honey and Walter and her children and their families. Her retirement coincided with the arrival of those grandchildren, on whom she doted. She babysat and attended sporting and other events; somehow ice cream every night was not only allowed but encouraged. She was an avid reader and always had at least one puzzle spread out on the family room coffee table. Miriam was an excellent cook who inspired all four of her children in the kitchen.

Miriam is sorely missed by her family and friends, but all agree that their lives are better because she was in it.

Visitation at Blake-Doyle Funeral Home, 226 W. Collings Avenue, Collingswood, on Sunday, July 11, 2021 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and again at Blake Doyle Funeral Home on Monday, July 12, 2021 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at Holy Saviour Church (St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish), 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont. Interment immediately following at St. Joseph’s Cemetery & Mausoleum, Chews Landing, NJ. Please leave your remembrances of Miriam on Blake-Doyle.com