Sandra M. Croon

Sandra M. Croon she would say, slowly, deliberately and with a deep sense of peace in knowing exactly what that name represented. Sandra M. Croon. That was her and no one could take that away from her no matter how sick she got or how strong a hold cancer had on her. She would have to repeat her name about 20 times a day, every day for the fifteen days that she was in the hospital. Every time she said it, it was like she was putting a stake into the ground, claiming I was here and I lived a good life.

What does that name mean? To me, it represents the most beautiful woman in the world with her sparkling blue eyes, mischievous smile, comforting hugs and unconditional love. To my Dad, it represents the love of his life, his rock, his comfort, his support, and his sweetheart. To her grandchildren, it represents the agile and cheerful grandmother who had endless energy and love to shower on them whenever they were around. A grandmother that remembered every birthday and holiday who would always have their favorite candy and snacks waiting for them and would decorate every card and gift with stickers and perfect wrapping paper. To friends, she was a listening ear, a chatty companion, and a loyal servant. She loved meeting neighbors on her walks (she was walking a total of 3 miles a day at 80 yrs old before her treatment began) and was bound to run into someone she knew wherever she went. She always took her time to ask others how they were doing and to put others first. She was a caretaker at her core and always worked to make others happy.

Sandra M. Croon came into the world as Sandra Margaret Leake, born in 1943 in the North of England. She was the only child of two loving and devoted parents. She was raised in post WWII England, where joy and laughter were found in her home even as they lived off of mandatory rationing. She would fondly tell us about making fried sandwiches with left over bacon grease and potato pieces due to the shortage of meat. She had humble and sparse beginnings which shaped her outlook on life and allowed her to pass on amazing lessons to her children and grandchildren.

She would ride three different public transportation buses to get to her all girls Catholic school where she learned to love to read and was known to get in trouble for being too talkative. At 16, she left home to become a pediatric nurse. She lived in the hospital under the care of strict nurse wardens and flourished while taking care of children in the pediatric burns unit, bringing comfort and compassion to all she cared for. At some point, her adventurous spirit urged her to take a chance and to travel to America. She ended up working as a nanny, or as my dad proudly says to everyone, as Mary Poppins, for a family in NY.

After a year of being a nanny, she traveled back to the UK to nurse some more, but the call for adventure didn't go away and before she knew it, she was back in the states, but this time, in Arizona. For room and board she lived with a lady who was a survivor of polio. She cared for her and worked at the University of Arizona preschool. And that is how it all started, a friend she taught with set her up on a blind date with my dad, a young Air Force officer. They fell in love right away, married, and started a family.

During that time, she was a dedicated wife and mother. Her favorite thing in the world was being a mom. She loved her children fiercely and was in her element. She cooked every meal, kept the house immaculate, and made everyone around her feel loved. I can't remember her ever being cross with us; she was always joyful and cheery. She would play outside with us, plant flowers and vegetables with us, take us for walks, read stories to us, and blanket us with love. After I started school, as her youngest child, she went back to work as an instructional assistant working with special needs students. Again, her love and compassion were felt by every student she taught and every teacher she worked alongside. She occasionally would run into a former student or get a note in the mail, telling her she was their favorite and thanking her for being so kind.

In retirement, she spent her time helping each of her children as our families grew, as we moved, and as we faced challenges. She was with us every step of the way. She is our anchor and our support and will leave a gaping hole in all of our hearts. She loved my dad with all her heart. Their love for each other was so beautifully shown over the past few years as they have both grown old and navigated the world of cancer. She was always at my dad's side and he was always at hers. Even in her last days, she worried about whether her sweetheart had gotten home yet and anxiously awaited his arrival every morning. God put them together as he knew they needed each other. Their love truly was unconditional and sacrificial.

She battled valiantly against cancer and its brutal treatments. She was tough as nails for months as she forced herself to drink her liquid meals even though every sip was like swallowing razor blades. She somehow kept going and I believed willed herself to stay alive as long as she could.

I am in awe of her strength, her discipline and her determination. I am in awe of her compassion, empathy, love and beauty. She was humble and lived her vocation as wife and mother without receiving accolades, medals, or awards. But let the world know now that she was the best of the best, there was no one better – she did everything right, she could outwork anyone, and she served others in every moment of her life. She is an inspiration to all of us to live our best lives and to always love those around us; to enjoy each other and to love as God has told us to do. She is our inspiration and we will strive each day to make her proud and to one day, see her again in heaven.

We love you, Mom

Sandra leaves behind her husband of 56 years, Larry, her three children and their spouses, Geoff (Caitlin), Jennifer (Michael) Belardo, Chris (Jeanine), eight grandchildren: Dominick (Olivia), Andrew, Luke, John, Hannah, Caleb, Joshua and John, one great-grandchild on the way, and of course, her beloved dog, Maggie.

P.S. Some months ago as she and I were talking about her pain and all that she had been enduring, she said she was offering up her suffering for all the children with cancer. She hoped God could use her suffering to take the pain and cancer away from others. In light of that

conversation, as well as years of her supporting this cause, we think she would be very touched if you would like to make donations to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in honor of her and instead of flowers https://www.stjude.org/