MARGARET SAND

1938 - 2025

SAND, Margaret Margaret Sand died of natural causes, with family at her side, on the morning of September 29, 2025. She was 87. Margaret was the fourth of six children: Paul Schmidt (d. 1999), Mary Kay Murray, Jim Schmidt, Anne Schmidt and Tom Schmidt. She was born to Adolph "Ad" and Catherine Schmidt (née Barnett) in Brooklyn, NY on August 8, 1938, but grew up all over New England. In 1969, Margaret married a charismatic young designer, Michael Sand. They eventually settled in Brookline, Mass., and had two daughters: Zoe and Jessica. Margaret was a voracious reader and an introvert; she often said she'd hoped Michael's outgoing nature might rub off on her and was sure it hadn't. Yet she was known as a gracious hostess, who threw a wicked dinner party. Margaret and Michael remained good friends following their divorce after 25 years of marriage. Pragmatic and focused, Margaret chose to build a career in administration with two young children at home. During this time, she helped launch MIT's first full-day childcare program. She then moved to the newly-established Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Margaret thrived at Whitehead and worked tirelessly for decades to build a workplace that was inclusive and supportive of its personnel, from Nobel scientists to the kitchen and maintenance crews. After retiring, Margaret spent her later years as a devoted grandparent to Zoe's children, Aidan, Kayleigh and Dylan Donahue. She was always quick to point out how proud she was of the smart and kind-hearted young adults she watched them become. Visiting Hours: An informal Memorial gathering will be held at the Weston Art & Innovation Center, on November 22, 2025, from 4-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research or your local food pantry.

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