Obituary of Sandra Jean Wilde
November 26, 2022
September 27, 1946 - November 26, 2022
Sandra Jean Wilde, 76, of New York, NY, passed peacefully on November 26, 2022 after a short illness.
Sandra was born in Minneapolis, MN, in 1946. She attended school in North Plainfield and Plainfield, NJ, and graduated from Plainfield High School in 1964. She graduated from Carleton College in 1968 and received a Doctorate in Education from the University of Arizona.
Sandra spent her entire career in academia. Over the years, her school and work led to many cross-country moves including to Minnesota, New Hampshire, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina in the US as well as British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba in Canada. She loved exploring New York City and was thrilled to move there after accepting a professorship at Hunter College. She remained in New York after retiring from Hunter.
Sandra authored numerous books on language and spelling. She was an avid reader of a wide range of current fiction and nonfiction. She loved art, museums of all kinds, The New York Times, and crossword puzzles. Two of her favorite trips were traveling to Belfast to see Van Morrison in concert in his hometown and a cruise sponsored by the New York Times to Iceland and nearby.
Sandra is survived by her sisters Janet Axelson and Betty Axelson, daughter of her heart Ellieanna Santos, close friend Jean Fontaine, and many others who knew and loved Sandra through her life. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Anita Axelson, and brother-in-law Jim Hughes.
Services will be private. If you wish to honor Sandra’s memory with a donation, please consider the Irish Repertory Theatre of New York (irishrep.org) or the East Harlem Tutorial Program (ehtp.org).
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Fond memories from Plainfield High School class oh 1964. Sandy may you always rest in eternal peace ?
Posted by: Denise Haley Johnson - , NJ - Friend December 1, 2022
Sandra and I Graduated from Plainfield High School together- we also served on school committees y. Rest in peace Sandra
Posted by: Lynne Sullivan - Old Bridge, New Jersey - Friend December 2, 2022
I send my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of dear Sandra Wilde. As a literacy professor, I followed her work throughout my career. Fortunately, I connected with her as a colleague when she presented at Teachers College--Columbia University, while I served as Senior Reading Advisor to the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (2004-2010). We shared our love of theater venues in NYC and attended several plays together. May she rest in peace, and may the perpetual light shine upon her and all of the Faithful departed.
Posted by: Joseph Yukish - Tucson, AZ - Teacher December 4, 2022
I'm going to miss Sandra. As next door neighbors for the past two and half year there were many passionate conversations held in the hallway on the latest day's headlines, or down in the foyer where you'd often find Sandra engaging with other building neighbors on the current news of the day, and usually sporting a T-shirt with the most timely social justice demand. Much respect, Sandra. You will be much missed and often remembered. Amanda
Posted by: Amanda Lugg - New York, NY - Neighbor December 5, 2022