many of you know herb carter, the former co-manager of the over-28 mets and a member of the over-38 peppers.
i'm very sorry to report that herb's wife of 19 years, sandy, and the mother of their three boys, died on saturday, february 14, at albany memorial hospital. she was 46.
as the former manager of the peppers, for whom herb played from about 2002 to 2006, i can say that i've rarely seen, anywhere, a fan more loyal and supportive than sandy.
a tall, pretty, thin woman with reddish brown hair, a lot of energy and a hope-filled smile, sandy often came to herb's games, bringing their boys, who were then about 10 and 8. we didn't win many games in those years, and frequently she was our only fan, but no matter, she would cheer herb and the rest of us. win or lose, she regularly found good things to say to many of us after the games; her post-game words and energy were a welcome pick-me-up, one more burst of sunshine before nightfall.
sandy was a home health care worker - which i expect fit her giving nature well,; i'd imagine her patients got healthier faster because of her - but what she really was was a devoted spouse to herb and mother to their eldest son brian and their twins, jesse and sam. i can see them all now, leaving cba field after games, herb and sandy hand-in-hand, their boys running circles around them on the green grass as they left.
sandy's obituary appears in today's - tuesday, february 17th - edition of the times union.
calling hours are thursday, feb. 19th, from 4 to 8 pm, at the new comer-cannon funeral home, 343 new karner road in colonie (route 155, south of central avenue). the funeral is at 8:30 friday morning, also at the funeral home.
the obiituary asks that any memorial contributions people care to make in sandy's name - Sandrajo G. Carter - may be sent to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, c/o Jessica Fredericks, 1445 Saturn St., Merritt Island, Fla. 32953.