Sandra Scott, 86
Sandra Scott, 86, of Carlisle died peacefully at home on April 20, 2025 with her devoted personal care attendant, Jeri Kibera, by her side.
Sandy was predeceased by her spouse, Nancy Garden, in 2014. She is survived by her sister Susan Kaplan of San Diego, California; her cousins Constance Worthington of Providence and Chepachet, Rhode Island and William C. Worthington of Mountain View, California; and Jean Lorelle Paul Wilson of Marlborough, Connecticut, who was like a daughter to Sandy and Nancy.
Born April 28, 1938 in Providence to the late James M. Scott II and Marjorie Braun Goode, Sandy attended the Quaker Lincoln School in Providence. Chepachet was Sandy’s heartland and as a lifelong Red Sox fan she spent summers there keeping track of every inning of every Red Sox game for her father after he returned from work.
Sandy went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Bryn Mawr College, and then taught secondary school math in New York City. She obtained her master’s degree in history from Columbia University, where Nancy attended the School of Dramatic Arts. Sandy continued to teach, including history, religion, and all subjects in progressive high schools.
In 1972, Sandy and Nancy returned to their New England roots and set up their Cape in Carlisle. The following year, Sandy entered Boston University Law School. After passing the bar, Sandy opened a law practice in the South End of Boston with another green BU Law graduate, Joan Fischer, and represented juvenile and adult defendants in Roxbury District Court until her retirement seven years later.
Sandy and Nancy were married in 2004 after the landmark Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health decision made same-sex marriage legal in Massachusetts, affirming their decades-long commitment to each other. They travelled the world to all continents except Antarctica, especially loving Scotland and Africa. Ardent animal lovers, cats and golden retrievers were their favorites. Their cottage in Maine was a jumping-off place for hiking the many trails on Mount Desert Island. Sandy’s impressive woodworking skills were on display when they built the Maine cottage with their own hands and which has her beautiful wood paneling throughout. She was a proud activist and generously gave regularly to progressive and charitable causes throughout her lifetime and after her death.
A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, immediately followed by a reception.
Memorial donations in Sandy’s honor and in her spirit may be sent to the Carlisle Fire Department, P.O. Box 575, Carlisle, MA 01741, or the Carlisle Council on Aging, 66 Westford St., Carlisle, MA 01741, two municipal agencies whose employees went above and beyond in their care of Sandy, enabling her to stay in her beloved Carlisle home until the end, or the Carlisle Mosquito, 662A Bedford Rd, Carlisle, MA 01741, an independent small town newspaper Sandy contributed to and supported for many years.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Acton. To share a remembrance or offer a condolence on Sandy’s tribute page, visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
