Sandra L. Bollin

Some lives are remembered for what they accomplished. Others are remembered for how they made people feel. Sandra L. Bollin will be remembered for both, but above all for her extraordinary humanity.

Sandra passed away peacefully on July 3, 2026, in Saugerties, New York, at the age of 76.

Born on August 9, 1949, in Kingston, New York, to Oscar V. Bollin Jr. and Ruth Hart Bollin, Sandra spent her life embracing the world with an open heart and an endlessly curious mind. She believed that every person had something to teach, every culture something to offer, and every new experience the potential to broaden not only the mind, but the soul.

Her pursuit of education reflected that belief. Through determination and perseverance, she earned her Associate’s degree from SUNY Ulster Community College before continuing to SUNY New Paltz, where she completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Those achievements were not simply academic milestones. They were quiet victories earned through perseverance and a lifelong commitment to learning, even when life demanded extraordinary strength.

That same spirit carried her across oceans. Sandra spent years traveling and living abroad, including in Athens, Greece, where she taught English. She embraced unfamiliar places not with certainty, but with courage. She returned from every journey with a deeper appreciation for the richness of the world and the people who inhabit it.

Music was woven into every chapter of her life. As a young woman she played the tenor saxophone in marching band, and throughout her life her curiosity led her from the timeless music of The Beatles to the contemporary sounds of Nitin Sawhney and countless artists in between.

Her home was more than a place to live, and her kitchen was more than a place to cook. It was a place to gather, to laugh, to learn, and to remind family and friends that everyone had a seat at her table. She welcomed people without judgment and loved them without condition.

She adored her brothers, Charles and Jack, and her sister, Kate. Her lifelong friendship with Sallie Bollin was one of the great constants of her life, a bond that grew beyond friendship into sisterhood.

Life was not always gentle with Sandra. Yet hardship never diminished the qualities that defined her. She met life’s trials with grace, resilience, humor, and unwavering compassion. If anything, adversity deepened the kindness she extended to others.

Her greatest pride was her family. She is survived by her sons, George Christodoulou and Nick Christodoulou, who inherited from their mother not only her love, but the values by which she lived: remain curious, never judge, and always choose love. She is also survived by her loving brother, Oscar V. Bolling III, as well as her Goddaughters Leanna & Dana. Not to be forgotten is her beloved cat, Gracie, whose quiet companionship brought her daily comfort.

To those who knew her, Sandra’s deep laugh, quick wit, generous spirit, and boundless curiosity will never be forgotten. She possessed a rare gift for making people feel welcome, understood, and valued. Her home became a gathering place where friendships were formed, stories were shared, and fiercely competitive games of Yahtzee became treasured family traditions.

Sandra’s life reminds us that greatness is rarely found in recognition or acclaim. It is found in how deeply we love, how willingly we learn, and how generously we give ourselves to others. She traveled the world, raised her family through life’s many seasons, and met every challenge without surrendering the kindness that defined her.

The world is better because Sandra was here, and those who loved her will carry her curiosity, her courage, and her humanity forward for generations to come.