Lenore J. "Lee" Sandor

1925 - 2018

Lenore J. Sandor (nee Barbat) was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 24, 1925 and passed away on April 4, 2018 in Sitka, Alaska. Lenore was the youngest daughter of John and Tillie Barbat, who raised both her and her older sister Mildred (Pysarchuk) in Cleveland.

After two years of college at Baldwin Wallace in Ohio, Lenore's spirit of adventure took her to Juneau in 1951, when Alaska was still a territory. Lenore had fond memories of working for Don Burris assisting him in his business of trading in Alaska Native arts and crafts. She married her husband, John Sandor, in 1956, and due to his job as a Forest Service ranger, they moved several times before finally settling back in Juneau in 1976. During their lifetime, John and Lenore had two children, Mary Helen (Juneau) and Janet (Danville, CA).

Most notably, Lenore was awarded the 1988 Juneau Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. This distinction was bestowed on Lenore for her tireless work as one of the founding members of REACH, Inc., an Alaskan organization dedicated to the well-being of those with developmental delays and needs, and bridging the gap between them and the community at large.

In private life, Lee was an avid fan of travel, gardening, baking and reading. Lenore was quite active in the community and was often seen attending P.E.O., garden club and church meetings and events. After residing in Juneau for 40 years, Lenore most recently was living at the Sitka Pioneer Home.

Lee was preceded in death by her parents, and older sister, Mildred. She is survived by her husband, John Sandor; her oldest daughter, Mary Helen of Juneau, Alaska; and youngest daughter, Janet Freiman of Danville, California; her son-in- law, Harold Freiman; and the two grandsons she adored, Ben and Jacob Freiman. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews and other relatives, most specifically in Washington State and Ohio.

A memorial service was held in Sitka, Alaska on April 6, 2018. A celebration of Lee's life is being planned in California, date and time to be determined.

The family would welcome donations in Lee's memory to REACH, Inc. As mentioned above, Lee was one of the original 5 founding members of REACH, an organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for developmentally disabled children and adults in Alaska and the organization is now celebrating its 40th anniversary. Checks can be mailed to:

REACH, Inc.
213 3rd Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Please designate your gift in the memo section: "In memory of Lee Sandor"