Rita Marie Morgan (“Sandy”) Sheets Rita Marie Morgan (“Sandy”) Sheets

Rita Marie Morgan (“Sandy”) Sheets passed away in her home early Monday morning, December 7, 2009 at the age of 82. Born in Newton, MA on January 12, 1927, Sandy was known, from the earliest of ages, to have a strong independent streak and passion for adventure. Sandy graduated from Columbia University Nursing School in 1945, shortly after meeting her husband, Frazer Randolph Sheets, Jr., on a NYC uptown bus. They were wed shortly thereafter. Sandy and Frazer purchased the former Cook’s Tavern (circa 1789) in 1954 as a summer get-a-way. It was Frazer’s wish to impart his love of nature and the outdoors to his boys. This wonderful summer home would later lovingly be called, “The Old House,” or “the big yellow house at the bottom of Skyline Trail,” by the locals. Once her four sons were away at school, Sandy returned to the work force as a nurse in a variety of settings from the late Dr. Mofenson’s family practice in Mineola to high school nurse at East Meadow High School. Shortly following her husband’s death, Sandy, at the age of 73, sold the family home on Long Island and retired in 1999 to a newly renovated Old House. She embraced the wonderful community of Huntington, participating as the Secretary to the Friends of the Library, Member of the Garden Clubs of Chester and Huntington, Board Member of the Highland Valley Council on the Aging, and Member of the Worthington and Huntington Health Centers - all when she was not traveling to explore far off places of the world like Guatemala, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia and Morocco or relaxing in her beloved garden at The Old House with her Huntington friends. Sandy is survived by her older brother Edmond Morgan, her four sons and their wives, Frazer Randolph Sheets, III (“Randy”) and wife, Maryrose, Scott St. Clair Sheets and Karen Whitford, Todd Roy Sheets and Erik Morgan Sheets and wife, Maggie, and four grand children, Connor Adams Sheets and Brian Randolph Sheets, the children of Randy, Ryan Sheets and Chelsea Sheets, the children of Scott. The family invites friends and neighbors to join them in a celebration of Sandy’s life to be held in Spring 2010. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to benefit the town and people she loved - to the Huntington Council on the Aging, PO Box 430, Huntington, MA 01050.

Lee Van Slyke Spencer

Lee Van Slyke Spencer, 58, of Tampa, Florida, passed away suddenly on December 18 in Tampa, Florida.

Lee was born February 8, 1951, in Garden City, New York, to Dr. Karl and Conway Bibb Van Slyke. Born a tree-climbing, tom boy, grown to a beautiful woman, and always a passionate friend and a lover of animals of all kind, Lee leaves many friends in her absence. Lee also is a supported her cause for organ donation by successfully donating her organs to help extend the lives of three recipients in three states.

Survived by 3 brothers, Paul, Peter and Don Van Slyke. There was a funeral service for her Monday, December 21, at 10:00 am, at the Vinson Funeral Home in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Her burial will be Wednesday, December 23, at the Mountain View Cemetery in Bristol Virginia.