Sandra “Sandy” P. Twyon of Sarasota, FL passed away on May 4, 2019 after an extended illness that did not define or impede her lust for life and the pursuit of people mattering. She was surrounded by friends and family at her passing including her lifelong friend Tracy Healey-Beattie and her Sarasota friend Claudia Brooks along with her favorite foot dog Lulu. Sandy’s last days included her constant thirst for knowledge, righteousness and crafty card games with her friends.
Sandy’s biggest influencers were her late grandmother, Lizzy, and her late aunt, Marjorie Twyon Rivet, mentors and influencers of all that Sandy would achieve.
Sandy earned a BS from The College of St. Rose where she was at the top of her class, a Masters from Boston College and an MBA from University of Pennsylvania Wharton Accelerated Program for Senior Executives.
Sandy’s next milestone was in the early 1970’s when Martha Sacci promoted her to the Chairman of Nursing at Tufts New England Medical Center. Martha demanded her to challenge herself and to change the entire profession of nursing.
Sandy was a pioneer in the standardization of professionalism in nursing through developing a process of care maps where patients would receive the standard care of nursing whether you were in Boston or in a remote hospital throughout the United States. Sandy was lauded in several articles including Newsweek as well as national coverage by the NBC Today Show. Sandy was a catalyst in hospital mergers and restructuring throughout the US and Canada by focusing on what was right for the hospital institution without sacrificing patient care. Sandy held many trademarks on CareMaps that continue today through the Center for Nursing.
Sandy thrived on moving to new places and meeting many lifelong friends from Boston, New York City, Toronto, Pittsburg, Los Angeles and lastly Marblehead and Sarasota.
Sandy is survived by her three cousins, Patty, Cindy and Shelly Rivet who were her family. Sandy was part of the Rivet family that included Marjorie’s husband, the most honorable man she had ever known, the pre-deceased Harold Rivet, her icon. Her predeceased close fiend Lynn Towson was the unknown soldier of Sandy’s professional successes. Jean Phillips of San Francisco is another lifelong dear friend, where they learned the importance of squared corners in bed-making at St. Rose although they did have a difference of opinion on Harry Potter novels.
She will be missed by many countless younger friends that she mentored in Pittsfield, MA (her holiday base) as well as a brother in Greenfield, Jonny, and a surviving sister-in-law, Jane Twyon, in New York City. She also leaves behind 3 nieces - Janet, Jennifer and Ashley. She was predeceased by two brothers, Patrick Twyon and David Twyon.
She will be missed but never forgotten because of her devotion to the quality of patient care through her favorite quote first adopted in the 1970’s, “Nursing Case Management is the acute manifestation of professionalism in Nursing.”
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18, 2019 by the Reverend Michael Steele, a close friend and our spiritual leader, at the Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Marblehead, MA at 11:00am with the burial to follow at Star of the Sea Cemetery.
There will also be a Memorial Mass in the Florida sunshine at St. Michael the Archangel Church at 5394 Midnight Pass Road (Siesta Key) in Sarasota on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 11:00am. The Mass will be celebrated by Father Michael Cannon.
Donations in Sandy’s honor should be directed to the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust ℅ Regina Cleri Residence, 60 William Cardinal O’Connell Way, Boston, MA 02114.
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