Sandra “Sandy” Hirsh Golding
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Sandra “Sandy” Hirsh Golding died August 1, 2022 of complications from congestive heart failure at her home at Fox Hill Village in Westwood. Sandy was born in North Adams, Massachusetts on November 18, 1930 to Samuel U. Hirsh and Rebecca C. Hirsh. A popular and successful student, she was valedictorian of the class of 1948 at Drury High School. Heading down the Mohawk Trail over the Hoosac Range to Wellesley College, Sandy graduated with a degree in Sociology with the class of 1952, having served as President of Shafer Hall, her residence as an upperclassman. On January 7, 1950, Sandy accepted an invitation from a newly engaged classmate to join in a celebratory dinner as the date of Jordan L. Golding. Sandy originally had insisted that she would rather rearrange her sock drawer than go out on another blind date, but after sneaking a peek at Jordan in the Shafer Hall lobby by skulking down the back stairs, Sandy took a chance. Sandy and Jordan were married on March 15, 1953 in North Adams, following Sandy’s graduation and the conclusion of Jordan’s Navy service. Sandy began a long career in education, working with children with reading challenges. She earned a Master’s in Education from Boston University in 1958 and Master’s in Children’s Literature from Simmons in 1987. Sandy retired from the Brookline Schools in 1993. Engaged not only in her own career, Sandy supported Jordan’s professional success, and saw to the care, feeding, education and carpooling of her three children, Larry (1955), Ellen (1957) and Matt (1962). Sandy enjoyed her home on the Cape, travel, sailing and singing, among other interests. Sandy triumphed in a battle with Stage 4 lung cancer in 1993, an ordeal which drew upon all of her strengths as a woman, and which honed the “seize the day” approach to life that had always been part of her character. This brief biographical note aside, Sandy will always be remembered for her generosity of spirit, her caring for others, and her concern lest any family member or guest not have enough to eat. A friend of ours once described Sandy to another friend about to meet her, “Mrs. Golding is a person who, after you have driven two hours to her house, will meet you in the driveway, ask how your trip was, and then offer that she had made a turkey, in case you were hungry.” Sandy was predeceased by Jordan, her husband of sixty-eight years. She is survived by her children, Laurence (Cynthia), Ellen Rosenblatt, (David) and Matthew (Dawn). Her grandchildren, Eliot, Rebecca, Sam and Josh, step-grandchildren, Danny (Missy), Sarah, Aaron (Carly) and Sarah, and step-great grandchildren, Seth and Simon, were her pride and joy. Somewhat ironically, despite having lived a full 91 years, she was taken too soon. We love you, Mom!
Services will be held at Congregation B’Nai Tikvah, 1301 Washington St., Canton, MA on Sunday, August 7th 2022 at 11 am. Interment to follow at Sharon Memorial Park, services will be live streamed, link can be found at the funeral home website. Memorial observance information will be shared at the funeral. Donations in Sandra’s memory may be made to Hebrew SeniorLife Hospice, c/o Hebrew SeniorLife Development Office, 1200 Centre St., Boston MA 02131, with Sandra Golding in the memo line, online at giving@HebrewSeniorLife.org, or to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Office of Philanthropy, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215, online at www.bidmc.org/giving. Both organizations have been of great comfort and support to Sandy and the family.