Sandra "Sandy" Marie (Pirro) Romano's Obituary
Sandra “Sandy” Marie (Pirro) Romano of Camillus, NY, left our world for a better place on May 15, 2020. This beloved sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend will be remembered forever for the love and light she shared everywhere she went.
Sandy was predeceased by her parents, Joe and Terry Pirro, and her infant daughter Kelly Marie. Surviving Sandy are her three children, Dan Romano (Jill), Nicole Thorne (Jeff), and Todd Romano (Allison); grandchildren, Matteo, Luca, Leighton, Tyler, and Alba; four siblings, Diane Wright, Pam Santas (Dave), Joan Wheeler (Greg), and Joe Pirro (Carleen); many nieces and nephews.
Sandy was born in Syracuse and spent most of her youth in Mattydale. Her family moved to Liverpool midway through 11th grade. She graduated with Liverpool High School’s class of 1965. Sandy’s husband-to-be lived next door to her Uncle Nick in Solvay. They were married shortly after graduation and moved to Miami, FL.
Sandy was the second oldest child in her family with a sister (Diane) only 16 months older, two younger sisters (Pam and Joan). The youngest was her brother Joe. She stayed close with all her siblings her entire life. All seven of her father’s brothers and sisters lived in the Syracuse area providing Sandy an extended family with many Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. Family gatherings were important to the Pirros. On Christmas Day you could find the majority of them gathered at her Aunt Alice and Uncle Angelo’s restaurant in North Syracuse (Angelo’s Cornucopia) which would be closed for the day to host the annual family holiday party. Sandy’s mother was from Augusta, GA. The Pirros would all pile into the station wagon every summer to make the 900-mile drive to visit the southern relatives.
Sandy was a well-behaved girl and a good student growing up. She was able to live vicariously through her older sister Diane who was a little more adventurous. Although their personalities were different, Sandy and Diane had an unbreakable, lifelong bond. Sandy looked out for her younger three siblings with love and care, traits that would never falter throughout her life. Her younger siblings nicknamed her Mary Poppins for her sunny personality and determination to do what was right.
Sandy was married at 19. She had the intelligence and personality to succeed in a professional career but instead she chose a role she loved unquestionably, being a mother and homemaker. Dan was her first born. Better known as Danny Boy back then, she took pride in dressing him to the nines and making sure he knew he was loved without question. Sandy was living a life she had always dreamed of, doting mother, superb homemaker, part of a young family living in the tropical destination of Miami. It didn’t take much prodding to get family from Syracuse to come down to visit and she was the perfect host.
Sandy’s second born was a gorgeous girl named Kelly. Sadly, Kelly was born with a liver problem and passed away before her second birthday. Next came little Todd with his blonde hair. Sandy’s youngest was Nicole with her big beautiful eyes. Now a mom of 3 little cherubs, Sandy raised them with an abundance of love and support. The family moved to Bowie, MD before she moved back to Syracuse where she would spend the rest of her life.
Sandy’s love knew no bounds. Living back home gave her close proximity to spread affection to numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and anyone lucky enough to find themselves in her orbit. There were plenty of birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baptisms, weddings, and holidays for her to host or pitch in and help to plan. Everyone has their ups and downs, but Sandy always greeted you with a smile on her face. She was neither loud nor boisterous, yet she was typically the life of the party. No baby was safe from Aunt Sandy’s hugs and kisses. Any accomplishment, large or small, was met with a proud acknowledgement from her.
Eventually Sandy found herself raising her children as a single mom. She embraced the challenge with every fiber in her body. Care was taken to encourage each child through school and then college. Once her children were older, she worked as caretaker for an old family friend until his death. Sandy’s capacity for caring knew no bounds. She stayed close to her former in laws whom she had known since she was a girl and helped provide care to her former mother in law through the end stages of the woman’s life.
Sandy’s three children married and started families of their own giving her a new name “Nana”. It was a natural progression, from older sister, to mother, to grandmother, and she relished the role. Dan and his family live in south Florida. Todd lives in Colorado with his wife and daughter, Nicole, her husband and son live in Mississippi. The highlight of Sandy’s later years was traveling to visit one of her children and heaping love upon her grandchildren.
In the blink of an eye, Sandy went from a beautiful young girl, growing up in the whirl of a large Italian/Irish brood, to a family elder with siblings and cousins in their 60’s and 70’s. She had settled into her golden years with a grace and peace most can only dream about. She was fiercely independent and lived by herself in her Camillus home of many decades. No longer filled with the commotion of raising children, it now served as the tranquil home base from which she could plan her next adventure. So many loved her. So many lives had been touched by this woman with a rare combination of tenderness, affection, humor, and light. Her smile was infectious, her touch was comforting, her love was unconditional. She made you feel better just by being there. Sandy, Sis, Cuz, Mary Poppins, Sam, Sissy, Mama, Mom, Nana. No matter what name you called her, she was always there for you with a hug, a meal, or maybe just a wink. Sandy was always there for you with love.
Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, a memorial service followed by a celebration of her life will be held in Syracuse on a future date TBA.
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