Dates to Remember

Somehow the date April 11 is one I always remember as the birthday of my childhood friend Sandy Crowley (Van Ness) . Sandy and I played together as children. Sandy’s family lived in the adjoining town but her grandparents were our neighbors in Belmont Mass. And when Sandy came to visit her grandparents we got together. I enjoyed many happy times with Sandy and her grandparents. As the years went by and we got older Sandy and I interacted only as rivals on our respective high school sports teams and later still on our respective college teams. Post-college After college there was only the odd Christmas card or two and then I lost track of Sandy but I always thought of her on her birthday April 11. A few years ago, on April 11, I phoned Sandy out of the blue and we re-established contact and promised to keep in touch. But again, we lapsed.

This morning, April 11, I tried to contact Sandy again. Alas, she had passed away 2 years ago. I was surprised and I feel a sense of loss. My early childhood friend. She was such a good athlete! Reading her obituary I learned that she was very active for many years with Andover-Newton Theological School. That was not a surprise – one grandfather was the minister of the church I attended and the other grandfather was very active in that church as well. The connection with Andover-Newton rang a bell also. My first job was with a family-owned steel company in nearby Cambridge Ma and the family had close ties with Andover-Newton.

The picture of Sandy that appeared in the Boston Globe obituary reminded my of her grandmother (my neighbor) whom I knew very well. Fond memories.