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Sandra Hough
Provided by Michelle Sinclair
June 2026 :Sandra "Sandy" Hough, 74, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born in Syracuse, New York, on February 19, 1952, Sandy built a life rich with family, friendship, and adventure. She and her husband, Tom, shared 48 years of marriage. Their life together was filled with travel, laughter, and partnership through every season of life. Above all, Sandy loved her family. The births of her four children, Cassie, Meghan, Gabe, and Ben, were, in her own words, days of pure elation, the happiest of her life. She delighted in her grandchildren, Liam, Sloane, Emmersyn, and Quinn, with a fifth grandchild on the way, a milestone she held close and reached for to the very end. She never missed a chance to be in the stands or on the floor playing right alongside them. Hers was a love expressed through action more than words: the homemade meals cooked for family and friends, the handwritten cards she sent for every occasion, the treats she always had on hand for her dogs and grand-puppies, the schedules rearranged without a second thought. She poured herself into the holidays especially - the annual hunt for the perfect Christmas tree, a dozen kinds of cookies baked and mailed each December, Easter egg hunts that delighted one generation after the next. She intended, in her own words, to keep these traditions alive for as long as she lived.
A Beloved Educator:
A devoted educator, Sandy gave 44 years to teaching, a profession she loved. She cherished beginning each day surrounded by eager young learners, with a special patience and dedication for the children who needed the most encouragement. She was honored with her school's Act of Kindness award, recognizing her for the everyday care she showed her colleagues and students alike. She was adventurous and quietly determined. She hiked Mt. Katahdin's Knife's Edge, zip-lined through the rainforests of Costa Rica, drove to the Arctic Circle, explored Europe, and camped her way across the country, often alongside her and Tom's dear, lifelong friends. Friendship was one of her greatest treasures, filling her life with laughter and companionship through every chapter. She believed life was a gift to be fully lived, and she carried that belief amid every challenge, including her years with ovarian cancer. She faced it the way she faced everything - with hope, positivity, and her eyes focused on the next moment she could share with the people she loved. She was happiest near the ocean, walking barefoot along the shoreline with the sand between her toes, watching the waves roll in - it always brought her a deep sense of calm.
Sandy was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and Glen Thornton, and her beloved brother, John, who held a cherished place in her heart. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Tom; her four children, Cassie and her husband Jonah, Meghan and her husband Randy, Gabe and his wife Laura, and Ben; her grandchildren, Liam, Sloane, Emmersyn, and Quinn, with a fifth grandchild expected soon; and many loving family members and friends.
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Calling hours will be held Thursday, July 9, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at R.H. Schepp & Son Minoa Chapel, 6530 Schepp's Corners Road, Minoa, NY 13116. A Memorial Mass will be Friday, July 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthew's, 229 W. Yates Street, East Syracuse, NY 13057. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Sandy's memory to Hope for Heather: Ovarian Cancer Awareness (www.hopeforheather.org). For guest book, please visit: www.SCHEPPFAMILY.com