June 20, 1950 ~ April 24, 2024
Sandra M. (Stanley) Herlihy, beloved wife of the late Richard F. Herlihy, passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Boston, she is the loving daughter of the late Duncan Stanley and the late Muriel (Thompson) McLean.
Sandra grew up in Reading and was a graduate of Reading Memorial High School, class of 1968. She met the love of her life, Richard, as she was working as a switchboard operator in Wakefield at American Mutual. They married in 1974 and settled in Reading to raise their children. Sandra is an avid Boston sports fan. Her favorite athletes included Larry Bird and Tom Brady, and she could be found enjoying a Red Sox game. Her love of sports carried over to her children, she was the best baseball score keeper around.
Sandra was a fighter. She braved and survived cancer, affectionately earning the nick names “Fluffy” and “Nana Fluff” after chemo treatments made her new-growing hair soft and fluff-like. She enjoyed camping and spending many fun summers in Harrison, Maine, with great friends at Vacationlands Campground.
Sandra had a great sense of humor, was a loving and devoted mother and grandmother and will be deeply missed by her loving family and friends.
Devoted mother of Melissa Bellavance and her husband William of North Reading, Michael Herlihy of North Reading, Matthew Herlihy and his wife Samantha of Dracut and Mark Herlihy and his wife Jennifer of Woburn. Cherished grandmother of Tyler and Makalya Bellavance, Andrew Herlihy, Evan Strandberg, and Aiden Herlihy. Beloved sister of Phyllis Winkler and her husband William of West Union, South Carolina. Loving sister-in-law of Diane Rayla, Marion Cavanaugh, Janet Smith, Carol Herlihy, Susanne Meuse, and Linda LaLiberte. Sandra also leaves many loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Family and friends are cordially invited to celebrate Sandra’s Life with a funeral service on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at the Cota Funeral Home, 335 Park St., North Reading (Corner of Park St. and Rt. 28 at the Reading Line) at 11:00 am. Burial will follow in Forest Glen Cemetery, Reading.
All are invited to visiting hours with Sandra’s Family at the Funeral Home on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 4 to 8pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Sandra’s Memory to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org or to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114 or online at www.shrinerchildrens.org.
