Sandra Joyce Chemlen (Petruny), age 79 of Oxford, beloved wife for 52 years to the late R. David Chemlen, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2022 at Chestelm Health and Rehabilitation in East Haddam, CT in the loving presence of family. Born in Waterbury, she was the daughter of the late George Petruny and Stephanie Zukauskis and is predeceased by her sister Janet Patricia Digliani (Petruny). Sandra was a graduate of Waterbury Catholic High School, class of 1960, and a graduate of St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1963. She was active in nursing, except for a period of time spent at home raising her children, until her retirement in 2008.
Sandra leaves behind her daughter Noel and her husband Richard Cherubino; her son Keith Chemlen and his wife Yesica; her grandchildren Sean, Leo, Massimo, and Casey; her niece Jennifer Hotchkiss (Digliani) and great-nephew Harlan; her fellow nursing graduate and God-Mother to her son, Carol Anderson, and God-Daughter Kristin Salisbury.
Sandra was an avid gardener, a talented artist, an adventurous traveler, a devout Catholic, and, most of all, a friend to everyone. Family and friends, community involvement, and church service were central in Sandra’s life. Sandra discovered many lifelong, genuine friendships through her Oxford neighborhood, the Oxford Garden Club, the Red Hat Society, her Tuesday lunch group, Junior Women’s Club, Oxford Seniors, and Christian Women’s Organization. Sandra was a lector and active in Rosary and Bible Study with the Church of the Good Shepherd in Seymour, CT.
Special thanks to the staff at Chestelm Health and Rehabilitation, we will never forget their devotion to Mom in her final days.
A memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 135 Mountain Road, Seymour. Visitation will precede the Mass from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be contributed online at ORTV.org or sent to 15 Peach Orchard Road, Prospect, CT 06712. Sandra viewed ORTV daily televised Mass for many years and it brought her comfort.
The Jenkins King & Malerba Funeral Home, 12 Franklin St., Ansonia, has been entrusted with all arrangements.
