In loving memory of Mildred Carmel Sandock
Winchester – Mildred “Carmel” Sandock, born on July 16, 1939, in Winchester, MA, and raised in Wilmington, MA, peacefully passed away in her sleep on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 84. She was a devoted resident of Westborough and Shrewsbury, MA, spending her final months in Pawleys Island, SC.
Carmel was preceded in death by her loving husband of 43 years, Leonard R Sandock, and life partner Francis Walinski, with whom she shared 11 years of companionship. She also mourned the loss of siblings Judy Gillis and Dana D’Angelo, as well as her parents Mildred Mae Van Steensburg and Angus Daniel Gillis.
She is survived by her daughter Kristina and husband Dr. Joseph Palomba formerly of Shrewsbury, MA, and recently of Pawleys Island, SC, sons Matthew Sandock and wife Kara of Natick, MA, Michael Sandock and wife Leah of Southlake, TX. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren Alyssa Palomba and her wife Hannah Wolf, Joseph Palomba and his wife Natasha Dobrott, Madeline Sandock, Katherine Sandock, and Keira Sandock. Carmel is also survived by her sister Linda Blomerth and brother Malcolm Gillis.
A devoted daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend, Carmel’s past professions included being an executive assistant at Polaroid, Digital Equipment Co and EMC as well as being co-founder of Jack Straw Perennial Gardens located in Westborough.
She was an active member of the Westboro Women’s Club, participant at the Shrewsbury Senior Center and Shrewsbury Social Club, and also a long-time member of Tower Hill Botanical Gardens.
Carmel cherished her role as a grandmother to her five grandchildren. She also had a passion for gardening, baking, reading, sewing, and learning (taking classes at ACLC at Quinsigamond Community College). Two things she was particularly proud of were learning to ski and of becoming a female business owner at a time when it was far less common. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the kind staff members of Amedisys Hospice for the support of “Miss Mildred” and her family.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at calling hours on Friday, February 9th, 2024, from 4 to 7 P.M. in the Pickering & Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St. Westborough, MA.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, February 10, in St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 70 West Main St. Westborough. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Westborough.
To honor Carmel’s memory, the family kindly requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to Westboro Women’s Club, P.O. Box 182, Westborough, MA 01581. This group of ladies were her friends and this group contributes in positive ways for her beloved Westboro. Your gesture will be a beautiful tribute to the life she lived and the love she shared. Carmel’s memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
