Black, Sandra M. of Marshfield, lover of cream of wheat, homemade spaghetti & meatballs, Toll House cookies, buttercream Easter eggs; maker of the best lasagna, meat loaf, oatmeal bread, and lobster rolls; collector of every hibiscus sold each summer; lover of snagging the last item on the shelf "isn't it great and it was the last one!"; founding member of the "I mean it, next year we're cutting back on Christmas gifts" (and never doing it) club; went to Heaven on November 1, 2022. Born December 1,1949 to Doris (Leary) Black and Thomas A. Black, Sr, in Melrose, Sandy grew up in Hyde Park, and moved to Marshfield in 1977. Sandy's spirit was willing, but her body was so very tired. She successfully fought Hodgkin's  Lymphoma in her 30's, breast cancer in her 60's, and numerous other serious medical issues over the years. Sandy was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis several years ago. This rare liver disease, and all its complications, is what ultimately claimed Sandy's life despite her courageous struggle to recover. She never, ever wavered, she never complained. We were all praying for a miracle that she would rally again this time but that was not to be, and she left this world in the dark of early morning on All Saints Day, having held for hours the hands of all those most dear to her.

Sandy's life was filled with love, and no happier times were spent than those with her family. Her daughter, Amanda and her Goddaughter Micaela were the loves of her life. Sandy never thought she would have the privilege of being a mother. Amanda was her miracle from the second she was placed in Sandy's arms, and every day after. Her absolute Best Present. Sandy never got over the delight of having seen Micaela first, before anyone else in the family. She claimed her immediately as her Best Buddy and their love for each other never wavered. Their nicknames have endured all these years, and Sandy could not have loved or been prouder of both her Best Present and her Best Buddy.

While well-traveled in her younger years it was trips to Santa's Village, picnics in the White Mountains, annual visits to the Enchanted Village, having lunch at Green Harbor with the gulls, a morning cup of coffee at the seawall, school concerts and sports watching her own kids and their friends, and any opportunity at all to be with her family and friends were her most cherished times. She may have enjoyed a 7-day Caribbean cruise but Storyland's panda-fronted Bamboo Chutes had that beat, hands down. Sandy, Micaela, and Amanda went on them time and time again, enjoying each splashdown more than the last. An excursion on a Captain John boat was sure to bring family together for a good time. Sandy even got mighty handy with getting those clams on her own fishing hook, despite the high-disgust factor. The coarse sand on the beach at Totem Pole Park held far more appeal than any Tahitian white sand beach. Playing in the water, helping build sandcastles, and playing Bingo at the Community Building was her idea of a resort (although she could only get the shade of that one tree if Christa wasn't around).

After retiring from US Bank, Sandy had the freedom to visit more with family and friends. She had wonderful afternoons shopping and going to lunch with her cousin Susan. But the pandemic brought that to an abrupt end and a new set of challenges for us all. We hunkered down and really got to know the idiosyncrasies of each other, our too-cute-for-words dogs, Emma and Gracie, and the delivery habits of Amazon, Fed Ex and UPS. Easter and Thanksgiving dinners with the extended family, Mary and Tommy and their kids, Zack and Katelyn came to a screeching halt, and she always regretted missing those 2020 events. Sandy was devastated that she could not attend Mass until St. Ann's started holding weekly Drive-In Masses in the parking lot. Every Sunday at 8AM the Knights would guide her to her front-row center spot for the 8:30 Mass with Cathy following behind in her own car and parking alongside to chat for the next half-hour, while dropping off a ham or a turkey or cartons of food for the shelters in need. After Mass, it was breakfast back at the house on the deck. Later that year, on a cold, gray afternoon, in Brant Rock at the seawall, Ryan's idea of the center of town, a masked Ryan jumped into the back seat of the van and asked Sandy for Amanda's hand in marriage. "Permission" was readily granted. Ryan's lack of knowledge for the actual center of Marshfield endeared him to Sandy evermore as she herself was notoriously geographically impaired. Ryan was Sandy's bonus child and they grew to know and love each other bonding over GMA and coffee every morning. While Sandy was hospitalized and only able to Zoom the big wedding celebration in September, three weeks earlier, on their August wedding day, Sandy walked Amanda to Ryan and watched with joy as they were married at St. Ann's.

Sandy loved Sunday afternoon Scrabble games at the kitchen table after Mass, and she would often have a batch of bread dough rising on the counter while playing, kneading it and getting it in pans between turns so it would be filling the house with its drool-inducing aroma by the time the game was over. Sandy loved following the Royals and celebrities, but vehemently denied it "they just keep coming up on my screen." She loved Wordle and "waltz", number 498, was the last one she completed. She did crossword puzzles every day of her life. Her favorites were the NY Times Easy Crossword anthologies. It may not have anything to do with anything but she was 25 puzzles away from finishing the last possible volume. Just saying.

As anyone who knew her knows, decorating for holidays was Sandy's passion. Giant boxes of decorations for every holiday are secreted in every nook and cranny of her home. Her most beloved decorations were her "people."  Pilgrims, leprechauns, Santas, snowmen, winter people, fall people, turkeys, Mr. Malarky, Easter bunnies, the list goes on. Each with their own personality. Their heads are bowed today in her honor, as are ours.

Sandy is survived and missed forever by her daughter Amanda J. Berard (husband Ryan) of Douglas, MA, Goddaughter Micaela K. and sister Pamela C. Black, both of Marshfield MA. Sister-in-law of Mary Black, aunt of Zachary and Katelyn, grandaunt of Liam and Kaira, all of Manchester, NH. Cousin of Susan Pecoraro of Whitman, her husband Paul, and their family. Daughter of the late Doris and Thomas Black, sister of the late Thomas A. Black, Jr., and James F. Black. Niece of the late Ruth M. Leary. Dear friend of Cathy McDonough of Braintree, Susan Moreau of Franklin, and Christa Gambon of Quincy.

Donations in Sandy's name would be welcomed by St. Ann's Parish 591 Ocean Street Marshfield MA 02050.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, November 6, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean Street in Marshfield. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, November 7, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ann by the Sea Parish Church, 591 Ocean Street in Marshfield. Interment will be in the Couch Cemetery, Union Street in Marshfield.

For online guest book, driving directions and other helpful information please visit the website macdonaldfuneralhome.com