Rita D. Sandor

Rita Dolores Sandor of Stamford, CT, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2026. She was 97. She was predeceased by her husband Edward A Sandor, to whom she was married for 63 years.

Born in Wilkes Barre, PA, Rita graduated from Plains High School as valedictorian. She went on to earn an Associates degree in Business from Wyoming Seminary Business School and fulfilled her dream of becoming an Executive Secretary. She was an expert typist and proficient in shorthand. Her first job brought her to New York City, where she worked for the Chief Financial Officer of Continental Baking Company. Rita was always a big fan of New York and would later take her family on many excursions into the city, especially during the Christmas season.

Rita met Eddie at a Polish Union Dance in Stamford. She and her sister, Isabelle each met their future husbands that same night. Rita continued to work in New York after her marriage to Ed and while he was stationed in Europe during the Korean Conflict shortly after they were married.

After Eddie returned to the US and was discharged, Rita put her business career on hold and devoted her life to raising their three children, Jocelyn, Alison and Ed, Jr. She eventually returned to the corporate world in Stamford, working as Executive Secretary to the Chief Financial Officer of Combustion Engineering and The Singer Corporation. Her command of the English language and its grammar was known to all. Top corporate executives would request that she review their speeches prior to their delivery. Even her children's letters home from collage received her scrutiny.

Rita was an accomplished pianist. She and her cousin, Dolores would attend Broadway Plays and write down the lyrics to the music in shorthand. Then, go home and learn the songs on the piano. She loved classical music, big band, and Frank Sinatra. Eddie introduced Rita to sailing which she enjoyed for many years with her family on Long Island Sound. She also loved animals and welcomed many family pets including a Saint Bernard dog, an Appaloosa horse, 2 barn cats, several gerbils, and many wild birds and animals rescued by her children.

Rita enjoyed regular family excursions to Watch Hill, RI (which she visited frequently until April 2025), Stratton Mountain, VT, Cape Cod and, her favorite, Nantucket, MA (which Rita also visited annually well into her 90s).

Although she had a successful business career, Rita devoted her life to family. Rita is survived by her daughters, Jocelyn Sandor Urban and husband Richard, Alison R. Sandor, and son Edward A. Sandor and wife Carrie. Rita has three grandchildren, Nicholas V. Urban and his wife Heather, Marc Sandor, and Stephanie Clark and her husband Kyle.

In lieu of flowers, Rita would prefer donations to your local animal shelter.