Sandra Vassallo

Sandra Vassallo, of Riverview, MI, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at the age of 55 or as she would say "double nickels."
She was the beloved wife of Caterina Lo Duca. Cherished mother of Angela Lillian Shemwell and Jesse Agostino Shemwell (Caitlyn). Fur mom to her baby, Sophia.
Loving Sasha to her two grandchildren, Sofia Francesca and Jake Agostino. Beloved daughter of late Agostino and Angela Vassallo; followed by her brothers and sisters of Peter (Cindy), Roseann (Ed) Righetti, Angela Vassallo-Vitale, Carol Ann Kainz, Sammy (Michelle), and Susanna (James) Gawlik. Dear aunt, great-aunt, cousin, and friend to many.
Sandra was a busy woman throughout her life. She studied broadcasting, worked for the family restaurant and other venues. Sometimes she worked 3-4 jobs to "keep herself out of trouble", as she would say-as a teenager. Later in life, she found her path as a realtor. In 2005, associations of million-dollar producers honored Sandra for sales in excess of four million dollars – a proud accomplishment. She loved her career, especially her clients, to whom she gave her honest opinion before purchasing a house. She took pride in her work.
Sandra loved music. You couldn't challenge her in trivia unless it was 80's music, which slightly stumped her. Her passion for music stemmed from her father, who played an array of different genres that carried with her throughout her life, becoming part of her story telling.
There are so many things to describe Sandra. She always kept in touch with her cousins, friends, and uncle Otto – they would be on the phone for hours as others would text. She was highly intelligent, intuitive, and right most, if not all, of the time. Sandra was grammatically correct, with punctuation as a pet peeve.
Her hobbies included listening to music and cooking, mostly Italian/Sicilian dishes. Sandra loved preparing homemade food from all around the world with her plate presentations, taking pictures, and taking pride in the end results. She learned from her mom, who was a wonderful cook and loved sharing meals with her cousins, aunts, and friends.
Sandra wore her heart on her sleeve. She had a heart of gold. When she loved, she loved hard. She always protected the ones she loved, from high school through adulthood. She was known for her sarcasm and had a great sense of humor, with contagious laughter for whomever she contacted.
Sandra was a strong woman. Even when she thought she wasn't, her ailments took the best of her, but she kept trying to live life to the fullest. Her body ached, her heart ached, until she became too tired to fight back.
Let's remember Sandra through your heart and experiences with her. She touched lives and in return, her life was touched.
Respecting Sandra's wishes, there will be no funeral service at this time.