Sandra Gail Quakenbush

Ledyard - Sandra Gail (Corchinski) Quackenbush, 74, of Gales Ferry, daughter of Edward Piasick and Ruth Corchinski, died in Norwich at 12:35 p.m. on Friday, April 19, 2013.

She was born May 1, 1938 in New London. Her father, a stevedore, died on Sept. 10, 1941 in Providence R.I., after a fatal fall on the S.S. Scottish Trader. She was raised by her grandparents, William H. Corchinski (formerly Wasyl Korczynski of Skole, Galicia) and Elsie May Pierce, of Waterford. William H. Corchinski affectionately called her "rabbit's foot" because his luck changed when she came into his life.

She attended Jordan School in Waterford and New London High School. Her first job was at Devlin's Ringside in New London as a waitress when she was fifteen. She then worked at Woolworth's in New London at the candy counter. On her first day, she dropped a box of candy at the supervisor's feet.

She worked at Sheffield Tube in New London, on and off about five times for several years, as a machine operator. She worked at LeVine's in Colchester and that is where she heard the news of President Kennedy's assassination on the radio. She also worked at American Thread in Willimantic as a winder.

At times she was a single parent. It was a challenge to make ends meet, but she was always dedicated to the care of her children. She toiled in the factory and wore an old overcoat, but made sure her children always had new clothes for school and were taken care of.

She married Harvey Matthew Quackenbush, on Dec. 31, 1975 in Moncks Corner, S.C. Mr. Quackenbush retired from the U.S. Navy as a chief petty officer, in 1986 and from General Dynamics in 2000. They moved to their home in Gales Ferry in 2000. Mr. Quakenbush died on Feb. 6, 2008.

She collected antiques and enjoyed going to local casinos to play the slot machines and blackjack. She loved animals having had two horses, Tex and Joe. In her youth, she enjoyed horseback riding and going to the rodeo. She had a dog, Alfie, and two cats, Tigger and Buffalo.

Mrs. Quackenbush was a direct descendant of Gov. William Bradford who came to these shores on the Mayflower in 1620 and Jonathan Rudd who was married in a legendary ceremony at Bride Brook in 1646.

During her long illness, Mrs. Quackenbush received assistance from the Gales Ferry Fire Department, Backus Hospital, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, VNA, Groton Regency and Pendleton. Her son Wyatt once asked her doctor, Jorge Dabdoub, if he was married. He replied, "Well, you might say I am married to your mother." He, and many others from Backus Hospital, diligently saw her through many hospitalizations. She was feisty with those who assisted and treated her, but was fond of them all and they respected her in return.

Mrs. Quackenbush leaves three sons, Charles Paul Myers of Middletown, Vincent Lee Kopp of Ledyard, and Wyatt William Kopp of Gales Ferry. She leaves five grandchildren. She is survived by two brothers, Wayne Piascik of Norwich and Theodore Watrous of New Jersey; and two cousins, Charles Corchinski of Westerly and Robert Corchinski of Westfield, Mass. She leaves her close friends, John and Marion Sullivan, Peter and Kathy LaRosa, Louis Perry and Alice Perron.

She was predeceased by her closest friends, Harry Baker, Mary Tenant, Capt. John Hallisey and Cecile McBreen. Additionally, she was predeceased by her aunt, Frances Corchinski; and her other Corchinski uncles, Theodore and William, with whom she was close as she was raised with them. Her other Corchinski uncles, Lloyd and Robert, were older so they were not raised together, but she was also close to them, particularly Robert and his wife, Stella Chaplinski. Mrs. Quackenbush's mother, Ruth (Corchinski) Robinson, went to live in Pensacola, Fla., where she died on Dec. 11, 1976.

She will be laid to rest with her husband at Avery-Stoddard Cemetery in Ledyard. Interment will be private.

Please visit www.byles.com to sign her guestbook or to share a memory.

We now are left a broken band. Our home is lonely without thee. But in that bright and happy land may we again united be.

She was born May 1, 1938 in New London. Her father, a stevedore, died on Sept. 10, 1941 in Providence R.I., after a fatal fall on the S.S. Scottish Trader. She was raised by her grandparents, William H. Corchinski (formerly Wasyl Korczynski of Skole, Galicia) and Elsie May Pierce, of Waterford. William H. Corchinski affectionately called her "rabbit's foot" because his luck changed when she came into his life.

She attended Jordan School in Waterford and New London High School. Her first job was at Devlin's Ringside in New London as a waitress when she was fifteen. She then worked at Woolworth's in New London at the candy counter. On her first day, she dropped a box of candy at the supervisor's feet.

She worked at Sheffield Tube in New London, on and off about five times for several years, as a machine operator. She worked at LeVine's in Colchester and that is where she heard the news of President Kennedy's assassination on the radio. She also worked at American Thread in Willimantic as a winder.

At times she was a single parent. It was a challenge to make ends meet, but she was always dedicated to the care of her children. She toiled in the factory and wore an old overcoat, but made sure her children always had new clothes for school and were taken care of.

She married Harvey Matthew Quackenbush, on Dec. 31, 1975 in Moncks Corner, S.C. Mr. Quackenbush retired from the U.S. Navy as a chief petty officer, in 1986 and from General Dynamics in 2000. They moved to their home in Gales Ferry in 2000. Mr. Quakenbush died on Feb. 6, 2008.

She collected antiques and enjoyed going to local casinos to play the slot machines and blackjack. She loved animals having had two horses, Tex and Joe. In her youth, she enjoyed horseback riding and going to the rodeo. She had a dog, Alfie, and two cats, Tigger and Buffalo.

Mrs. Quackenbush was a direct descendant of Gov. William Bradford who came to these shores on the Mayflower in 1620 and Jonathan Rudd who was married in a legendary ceremony at Bride Brook in 1646.

During her long illness, Mrs. Quackenbush received assistance from the Gales Ferry Fire Department, Backus Hospital, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, VNA, Groton Regency and Pendleton. Her son Wyatt once asked her doctor, Jorge Dabdoub, if he was married. He replied, "Well, you might say I am married to your mother." He, and many others from Backus Hospital, diligently saw her through many hospitalizations. She was feisty with those who assisted and treated her, but was fond of them all and they respected her in return.

Mrs. Quackenbush leaves three sons, Charles Paul Myers of Middletown, Vincent Lee Kopp of Ledyard, and Wyatt William Kopp of Gales Ferry. She leaves five grandchildren. She is survived by two brothers, Wayne Piascik of Norwich and Theodore Watrous of New Jersey; and two cousins, Charles Corchinski of Westerly and Robert Corchinski of Westfield, Mass. She leaves her close friends, John and Marion Sullivan, Peter and Kathy LaRosa, Louis Perry and Alice Perron.

She was predeceased by her closest friends, Harry Baker, Mary Tenant, Capt. John Hallisey and Cecile McBreen. Additionally, she was predeceased by her aunt, Frances Corchinski; and her other Corchinski uncles, Theodore and William, with whom she was close as she was raised with them. Her other Corchinski uncles, Lloyd and Robert, were older so they were not raised together, but she was also close to them, particularly Robert and his wife, Stella Chaplinski. Mrs. Quackenbush's mother, Ruth (Corchinski) Robinson, went to live in Pensacola, Fla., where she died on Dec. 11, 1976.

She will be laid to rest with her husband at Avery-Stoddard Cemetery in Ledyard. Interment will be private.

Please visit www.byles.com to sign her guestbook or to share a memory.

We now are left a broken band. Our home is lonely without thee. But in that bright and happy land may we again united be.