Sandy Odell

"We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden." - Anon

Anne Coburn Odell passed away peacefully at her home in Lempster, New Hampshire on August 15 after a courageous, year-long battle with ovarian cancer. Anne, known to all as Sandy, was born on February 25, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts to Charles and Anne (Whipple) Coburn. Sandy first came to New London, New Hampshire in 1963 to attend Colby Junior College. Following graduation from Boston University in 1967, she returned to New London and worked in the admissions department for the college.

In 1968, Sandy married Tom Biuso and had two daughters, Jennifer and Catherine. Sandy was a leading member of the New London business community over the years, serving as the director of alumni for the college and later opening C.B. Coburn Company and Accents Interiors. Sandy served on many local boards and was the first female member of the New London Rotary Club. In 1996, she married Robert Odell and continued her interior design business and volunteer activities from their home in Lempster.

Sandy was a volunteer for the New London Historical Society, a past board member of The Fells, a Sunday School teacher at the First Baptist Church in New London, and a past member of the Sullivan County UNH Co-Operative Extension Advisory Council. She also earned recognition as a Master Gardner and participated in founding the Newport farmers’ market.

As all who knew her will remember with joy, Sandy delighted in the time she spent in her gardens, planting vegetables each summer and tending to her endless flower beds, herb gardens and berry bushes.

Sandy is survived by her husband, State Senator Bob Odell of Lempster, her daughters Jennifer Biuso Dunn of Phoenix, Arizona and Catherine Biuso of Huntington Beach, California; her stepdaughter Dawn Odell of Portland, Oregon; her stepson Robert P. Odell III of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; her sisters Susan Coburn Maher of Flagstaff, Arizona and Carolyn Coburn of Wilmette, Illinois; and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church, Main Street, New London, New Hampshire at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 18 with a reception to follow.

Donations in honor of Sandy may be made to the scholarship fund in her name at the First Baptist Church of New London, P.O. Box 336, New London, New Hampshire, 03257.