John (Fred) Sammel

John Frederick Sammel, beloved husband to Doris Shandell, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, teacher, friend, bandmate, and adventure-partner, passed away on March 25, 2026 in New York, NY. He was born in Shippensburg, PA to John F. Sammel, Sr. and Mary Christine Sammel, and went on to live a life so full it could hardly be contained in a single page.
Fred had a gift - he made everyone around him feel completely beloved and entirely unjudged. Fred was on your side. No matter what. He was, by all accounts, the first person many of us had ever met who showed us that love didn't have to be complicated.
He was a trombonist, a maestro, a marathoner (nine times over, Boston qualifier included), a cyclist, a canoeist, a cross-country skier, an orienteer, a woodworker, a gadget-lover, and a devoted inventor of doohickeys. He was the chef behind the legendary fried weasel, and a man who would lead his grandchildren in searching for salamanders. He climbed mountains around the world, biked across the country, enjoyed sunset wine and cheese on Cranberry Pond, and walked in Central Park in NYC.
Fred was a lifelong teacher - the kind who showed you a skill and then stepped back, genuinely delighted when you ran with it. He taught music, and coached sports, and could make beautiful things with wood and sharp tools. He taught us all so much. He spent over 30 years teaching and leading music in New Rochelle Schools, impacting thousands of students who never forgot him and came out of retirement to teach for 5 more years in Edgemont Schools. He was a longtime member of the Westchester Symphonic Winds, and he played trombone in the pit orchestra for The Music Man - twice, once for each grandson playing Harold Hill. He poured knowledge in and watched with satisfaction when it stuck.
Fred had a family that was spirited, a life that was adventurous, friends that wanted to travel the world with him. An adoring husband to Doris, a father to Beth and Jo despite the stringbeans up their noses, a grandfather to Emily, Jed, Dan, and Cal, an arms-open welcomer to all their chosen partners, big brother to Jane, Belle, Anne, and Christine, and uncle to their families. He had too many friends to list, and he was worshipped by Beasley, the dog he didn’t choose but chose him, and by Frere.
As his son-in-law Tim put it: Fred was a wonderful person and a lifelong teacher. He is now providing lessons in coping with grief to our family, which we will manage in his spirit.
Fred is survived by the people he made feel so loved, the skills he passed on, and a voice in the back of your head that says Don't work so hard on the uphills. Downshift.
We were so lucky. He will be missed but always remembered.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations can be made to https://www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org/