RIDGEFIELD - Between her involvement in the public schools and volunteerism with local groups, Sandra "Sandy" Griffin was "a pillar of the Ridgefield community," her family said.
"Through her involvement with Ridgefield's public schools, youth sports programs and community events, she made every child feel seen, valued and encouraged to pursue their dreams," Griffin's family said in her obituary. "She championed those around her, lifting spirits, supporting causes and inspiring others through her generosity, selflessness and joy."
Griffin died July 13 at the age of 51 while on a family vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, according to her obituary. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Griffin, and their three children, among other family members, her obituary said.
"Sandy treasured the many family trips and adventures they shared over the years," the obituary said. "It is especially poignant that she passed away surrounded by family in the Grand Teton Mountains of Wyoming, following a day spent hiking and swimming in String Lake with her children."
A native of Yonkers, N.Y., Griffin was a graduate of Maria Regina High School in Hartsdale, N.Y., and Manhattan College in the Bronx, her obituary said. While in New York City, she launched a decadeslong career in fashion and shared her first date with her husband-to-be, according to the obituary.
Griffin later dedicated herself to raising her family in Ridgefield, according to her obituary.
"Above all else, Sandy was an extraordinary mother whose family was her heart and soul," Griffin's family said in her obituary. "Her fierce love and pride for her children were evident to everyone who knew her. She celebrated every achievement, big or small, and was a constant source of strength, encouragement and support throughout their lives."
In the Ridgefield community, Griffin spent five years directing the annual Spring Variety Show at Veterans Park Elementary School, celebrating her final production this past May, according to her obituary. She served on the PTA at both Veterans Park Elementary School and East Ridge Middle School and volunteered with a variety of local groups, including Soccer Club of Ridgefield, Ridgefield Basketball Association, Ridgefield Little League Baseball, the Ridgefield Baseball Booster Club and Kindness Over Muscular Dystrophy, her obituary said.
As a devoted Christian, Griffin was a member of Bedford Community Church in Westchester County, N.Y., and Hope Church in Wilton, according to her obituary.
"She appreciated life's simple joys and lived fully in the present," Griffin's family said in her obituary. "While she loved Ridgefield's small-town charm, her favorite place was always the beach, where she found peace in the ocean and its endless horizon."
Family and friends will be received Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. at Kane Funeral Home at 25 Catoonah St., according to the obituary. A funeral service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Hope Church, 240 Wolfpit Road in Wilton, it said.
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This article originally published at Longtime Ridgefield volunteer remembered for 'supporting causes and inspiring others'.