San Jose, California – Sandra Elizabeth Terrill November 20, 1940 – December 25, 2022
On Christmas morning, Sandra Terrill of San Jose, CA died at the age of 82.
She is survived by her four children: Lydia (spouse Colin Clancy, children Conor, Caeleigh), of San Jose Ted (daughter Britnee) of Charleston SC, Amy of San Jose, and Drew (spouse Carol, children Claire, Brendan) of Albany OR. She is also survived by her siblings, Charlo, George, and Meghan, along with Donna, Joey, and many others her parents fostered. She was preceded in death by her Father, Mother, husband David, aunts, uncles, and grandson Theodore Clifford (“Tc”).
Sandy was born to Marge and Wes Wakefield in Woodbury, NJ and enjoyed growing up at the beach in Avalon, NJ. Sandy found an early love for Jesus and most days woke up singing, usually about Jesus. She knew thousands of songs and as a teen sang in the Stroudsburg Presbyterian choir along with Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians.
She graduated from East Stroudsburg State Teachers College with a Bachelor’s in French and also worked on her Master’s Degree at Millersville University. She taught French at several schools and later taught both French and Spanish for 20 years at Faith Christian School in Rosetta, PA. Travel during school holidays inspired her and she took memorable trips with her husband and their young children across the U.S. and Canada, South America, France, Spain and later Switzerland with her mother, Aunt Phyllis and daughter Lydia. She and her family spent very happy times volunteering at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, immersed in pioneer crafts.
Sandy’s other big love was her family and friends, whom she considered precious gifts from God. After 2014, Dementia made it harder for her to move and speak, but she appreciated and accepted help with a happy smile and words of encouragement. When she moved to live with her daughter Amy in 2015, she continued to learn and grow, enjoying a variety of enrichment centers and local events, making new friends wherever she went, and participating at her maximum possible level. She was happy to find Orthodoxy and was chrismated in the Greek Orthodox Church at age 75, choosing the name Sophia. She kept her sunny disposition and positive attitude to the very end, amazing many at her resilient, creative, caring nature that helped her enjoy life richly in spite of the challenges she faced. She loved to laugh, sing, praise God, and give excellent compliments and blessings.
It is with joyful sorrow that I share with you the passing of Sandy (Sophia) Terrill. November 20, 1940 – December 25, 2022
- Trisagion service: 1/9/2023 at 4 pm at St. Nicholas church, 1260 Davis St, San Jose CA
- Funeral Service: 1/10/2023 at 9:30 am at St. Nicholas church, 1260 Davis St, San Jose CA
- Interment at Los Gatos Memorial Park 1/10/2023 at 10:30 am 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Rd, San Jose, CA 95124
- Arrangements are under the direction of Beddingfield Funeral Home in San Jose, CA,
- The Makaria: there is no Makaria planned at this time
