Mrs. Sandra Eckardt Gregory, born on September 18th, 1941, passed away peacefully on April 9th, 2026. In her final weeks, she was surrounded by family, friends, and caregivers. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Sandy’s life was one of devotion to the people, hobbies, and causes she loved. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Dr. John Geary Gregory (d. October 2025). Sandy is survived by her three children, John, Meredith, and Andrew. She is also survived by a beautiful legacy of grandchildren: Jack, Stella, Vivian, Willie, Bella, Delilah, Henry, and Kyle, along with her great-granddaughters Georgia and Genevieve and her sister, Mariana Eckardt. Sandy was the eldest daughter of Marvin Henry Eckardt and Roberta Wright Eckardt, both of whom preceded her in death.  

Sandy was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in Mount Airy, a neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia. She lived on West Mount Pleasant Avenue next door to her best friend, Martha McIlhenny (Martie Kennedy). They spent many summers together at Cape May Point, New Jersey and Trexler, PA. Sandy loved her time with her cousins Lucy and Jane on her aunt and uncle’s family farm in Trexler. So much so, that she chose this spot for her final resting place.

Sandy attended Germantown High School (class of 1959), where she participated in swimming, bowling, tennis, and hockey. Her lifelong passion for hosting social events showed up early as she was involved with the Junior Prom Committee, Cap and Gown Committee, Sweetheart Ball, Move-Up-Dance, and served as the School Activities Editor.

Sandy attended Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia (Class of 1962) and became a Registered Nurse.

She met her husband, Dr. John Geary Gregory, at a mixer between Princeton University and the Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing in 1960.  These mixers were organized social events designed to allow students from the all-male Princeton University to meet women from nearby nursing schools and women's colleges.

They married on July 1st, 1964 and moved to New York, where Sandy worked as a nurse as John finished up medical school at Columbia University.

She spent a stint in Montreal and then Baltimore, MD (1966-1967) and then moved back to Philadelphia (1967-1972), where she worked as a nurse and took additional classes at UPenn

Her first child, Greg, was born in 1969, and then her daughter, Meredith, in 1972.

She then moved to St. Louis MO and focused her energies on being a full-time mom. It was here that she developed her life-long passion for cooking, which she passed on to her son, Andrew, who was born in 1978 and has become a professional chef and restaurant owner. But it all started with her cooking classes with Chef Jean Pierre, which led to her many travels to France, Italy, and beyond to experience fine cuisine around the world.

Besides cooking, Sandy was very involved in supporting her children’s sports teams and in numerous volunteer organizations, such as the Women’s Exchange and the Women’s Guild at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ladue.

Sandy loved spending time at the pool and doing water aerobics. She also became a Master Gardener at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and eventually served as the club’s president.

Sandy and John moved to Maine (Northport) in 2000 and Penobscot Shores (Belfast) in 2015.

Sandy and John were both integral members of St. Margaret's parish, with John serving multiple times on the Vestry and as Junior Warden, and Sandy being very involved in the Women of St. Margaret’s and Altar Guild. She loved to iron the altar linens and especially the fair linen. She was especially known for making the clotted cream for their English Teas, and whenever the Women of St. Margaret’s were throwing an event or doing something, Sandy always added panache and class to the occasion. She was given the name Kitchen Queen for her willingness to keep the cupboards stocked and for her selection of tablecloths and tableware.

Sandy delighted in hosting her children and grandchildren every 4th of July for an annual extravaganza of lobster, ribs, fireworks, and more. And she and John made the 1,000-mile drive to Asheville, North Carolina every Christmas to spend the holiday with her children and grandchildren.

Sandy also enjoyed knitting and beading and even went on knitting cruises aboard the Schooner Isaac H. Evans out of Rockport, Maine.

Her love for travel took her throughout the US, including a cruise to Alaska, and abroad to Australia, China, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, and throughout Canada, including Vancouver, Banff, Toronto, Montreal, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

Her other passions were shopping and fashion. She loved buying gifts of jewelry and clothes for her children and grandchildren. And she loved taking her granddaughters to get their nails done. She was a beloved mother-in-law to her two daughters-in-law and her son-in-law, who looked to her for advice and support.

Sandy courageously battled Parkinson’s Disease for over 25 years but never said a word of complaint and never let it slow her down. She modeled perseverance and grace under pressure to her friends and family.

Sandy will be dearly missed by all who knew her, but her legacy of hospitality, service, and zest for the finer things in life will continue to inspire us all.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 18th at 10am at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Belfast, ME, and a celebration of life for both Sandy and John will be held at a future date TBD to include Sandy and John’s extended circle of family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of Sandra Gregory to the John Arena Foundation (https://johnarenafoundation.org/donate/) “a nonprofit program of the World Pizza Champions that is focused on supporting people living with Parkinson’s Disease and other movement-affecting neurological conditions by offering hands-on, culinary-based experiences designed to boost engagement, confidence, and quality of life.”