Sandra Helen Payson

PAYSON, SANDRA HELEN

Of Delaplane, VA and Washington DC, formerly of New York City. On July 15, 2004. She grew up in Manhasset, NY, with her parents Joan Whitney and Charles Shipman Payson and with her beloved siblings Payne Middleton, Lorinda deRoulet and John Payson. Her eldest brother, Daniel Payson, died in the Battle of the Bulge. Graduate of The Madeira School, Class of 1944. Beloved mother of Blair Meyer, Joan Curci and Averil Meyer. She was an exuberant grandmother of eight, traveling with them to exotic destinations including Equador and Turkey. She was beautiful, compassionate and generous, with a keen intellect and an eccentric sense of humour.

She founded Manhasset Stable for thoroughbred horse racing, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Helen Hay Whitney, daughter of John Hay, secretary and biographer to President Lincoln and Secretary of State to two Presidents. She founded and was President of The Beard's Fund, a philanthropic organization benefitting the arts. Recently affiliated with the Women's Leadership Forum of the DNC, and a Board member of The Madeira School and the Lincoln Center Institute.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at Christ Church, 1355 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, NY. Contributions in her memory may be made to The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, 450 East 63 St., New York, NY 10021.