Sandra Graff passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 4th after a long illness, two weeks after her 72nd birthday.
Sandy earned a bachelor's degree from SUNY Albany and a Master's degree in English Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She served as a Jesuit Volunteer before working at alternative high schools in Newark, New Jersey. She also taught at St. Peter's University, Sussex County College, and finished the last 23 years of her teaching career at Orange County Community College retiring as a Professor Emeritus in May of 2021. Some of her greatest joy came from seeing her students succeed both in her classes and in life.
In addition to teaching, Sandy's passions included poetry, gardening, cooking, reading, and swimming. She published two poetry chapbooks, Girl in Garden and This Big Dress, and had her work published in numerous journals and magazines. She also published a vegetarian cookbook titled The Artist's Table while working as a cook at Peter's Valley Craft Center. She took great pride in her vegetable and herb gardens and loved planting flowers, especially sunflowers.
Sandy was incredibly kind, creative, and hard working in every facet of her life. She believed that teaching her students to think independently and be active in pursuing their goals was as important as teaching them to read and write. She believed in promoting sustainability, caring for the environment, promoting civil rights, social justice, equal rights for women, and in wanting to see all people treated with dignity and respect. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
Sandy is survived by her husband Peter Cutty, her children Rachel and Patrick Cutty, her sisters Elaine Graff, Barbara Graff-Cardona and husband Jose, her brother Gary Graff and wife Iris, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, Rose and Harold Graff.
We will be having a gathering for anyone who would like to come celebrate Sandy's life on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Wallkill Funeral Home at 12 Bona Ventura Avenue in the Hamlet of Wallkill. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 followed by a memorial service. Please feel free to dress comfortably and informally as Sandy would have preferred.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson Valley Hospice, or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements were made by Millspaugh Funeral Directors.