Sandra Morse Coleman

March 12, 1937 - February 12, 2023

Sandra passed away just one month short of her 86th birthday. Descended from Mayflower stock, she was born in Plainfield, New Jersey and grew up in Rahway. She was predeceased by her parents and survived by her sister, her husband Michael, her sons Jonathan (Leza) and Randall (Lizbeth), her three grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Her family was gathered to wish her a good journey onwards.

Sandra, her mother, grandmother and sister moved to South Pasadena in 1949 and Sandra graduated from Cal in 1958 with a BS in Dietetics. She did her internship at Highland Hospital, then got a job at Providence Hospital on Pill Hill. Sandra and Michael got married in April of 1960. After their first son was born she worked as a dietitian at Albany Hospital.

After Michael got his B.Arch in 1962 they drove across the country and sailed to London to find an architecture job and to have adventures. Son number two was born in London directly across the river from the Houses of Parliament. After two years in London, they packed up again and went to Stockholm for six months before returning to the United States to become involved in Civil Rights and the anti-Vietnam movements.

The family spent 18 years working with Creative Initiative/Beyond War to try to move the races, nations and religions of the world to live in peace and harmony. That effort still continues, but under different names.

Still in the pioneering spirit, they moved into the Acorn Housing Project in West Oakland, a project designed for integrated, middle income people. After three years they moved to the Trestle Glen neighborhood. Always willing to experiment with new things, 28 years later they jumped in to help develop the Swan's Market Cohousing project. Sandra said she knew she was urban, she just didn't realize HOW urban until they moved into the mixed use condominium complex.

Sandra was active in the LWVO, she was a poll worker for 40 years, a banner maker, a quilt maker, an Honorary AIA ED member (aka Mrs Goodcookie). When she found out that Oakland and Nakhodka (Soviet Union/Russia) were Sister Cities, she immediately joined, and of course spent a few years as president. The association had many exchanges both ways. One trip on which Sandra didn't go, the Oakland Official Delegation arrived in Nakhodka and was met by a choir, women with loaves of bread and salt, a large crowd, and the immediate question:  'Where's Sandra?' The Delegation demanded that she go on the next official trip.

Sandra heard from friends forming the North Oakland Village about its vision to help seniors stay in their own homes as they age. She immediately got involved, and surprisingly enough, spent several years as the beloved president of the association.

San Francisco Chronicle, February 28, 2023