March 6, 1946 – August 10, 2025
Sandra “Sandy” Neininger Armstrong, 79, of Reading, MA, formerly Avon, CT, passed away peacefully on August 10th, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Sandy was born in Ellwood City, PA, to the late Hazel Reese and Robert Neininger. She graduated from Beaver Falls High School, Class of 1964. While attending Westminster College, she met her loving husband and best friend, Tom, to whom she was happily married for 56 years. Tom proposed on the quad on their graduation day, and they were married shortly after Tom was drafted into the military. They started their married life living near the Marine Corps base in Jacksonville, NC, where Sandy taught 7th-grade science at a rural school. After two years, they moved to CT and ultimately settled in Avon, CT, where they lived until moving to Reading, MA, to be closer to family in May 2023.
Sandy would tell you she had a truly wonderful life! She and Tom shared many great adventures traveling all over the world together — from Greece to Italy to Ireland to Alaska to Mexico and even to Russia! Sandy loved being by the water and enjoyed summers spent in their Old Saybrook, CT, beach house and, after her retirement in 2014, winter months in Naples, FL.
Sandy was so proud of her loving daughter, Amy Armstrong-Javors, a pediatric neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was Amy’s biggest fan, attending nearly all of her soccer games from age five years through college and beyond. One of the biggest joys of her life were her grandchildren, Owen and Nora. She was a loving grandmother who enjoyed every minute she spent with them — from playing card games to baking to watching their soccer and basketball games to searching for sea glass at the beach. She was an avid UConn Women’s basketball fan and a speed reader, particularly enjoying psychological thrillers.
Sandy built an amazing career. Over her 21 years at Cigna, she rose from an entry-level job to Vice President of IT, one of only 7 women among 100+ top Cigna executives. She was especially proud of her work advocating for better benefits for women as well as mentoring young women. She then got in on the ground level of a start-up HMO, MedSpan, as the VP and COO. After 11 years of successful growth, Sandy started her final job as CIO of UConn Health, where she oversaw IT for the hospital, physician practices, medical and dental schools and research.
In addition to her parents, Sandy was predeceased by her sister, Carol Neininger, and her brother, Bob Neininger. She is survived by her husband, Tom Armstrong; her daughter, Amy Armstrong-Javors; her daughter-in-law, Alli Armstrong-Javors; her grandchildren, Owen & Nora Armstrong-Javors; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The family would like to thank the Massachusetts General Hospital oncology and Care Dimensions hospice teams for their great care of Sandy and her family this past year.
A celebration of Sandy’s life will be held in Avon, CT, at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Sandy’s memory to the ALS Association, 1300 Wilson Blvd, Suite 600, Arlington, VA, 22209, or online at donations@als.orgdonate-cancer.org
