Obituary of Sandra Twohie

Sandra DePaoli Twohie of Reston, Virginia, died surrounded by love on March 27, 2022.  Born in Hoboken, New Jersey on December 3, 1933, she was the daughter of the late Joseph DePaoli and Silvia Santini DePaoli.

Preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, George Francis Twohie, Sandra is survived by her daughters, Alexa Twohie O’Flynn, Andrea DePaoli Twohie (Ron Franks) and Anne-Marie DePaoli Twohie; grandchildren Shane (Kaitlyn), Makenzy (John), Declan, Luca, Silvio, Alessandra and great-grandchildren, Avram, Lucas and Giorgia, along with her sister Mary Panos (Ray Panos) and cherished nieces and nephews.

Sandra met George, the love of her life, while both were working for the US government in Brussels, Belgium.  They married in 1957 in Tripoli, Libya and throughout George’s 36-year Foreign Service career, lived in Iran, Turkey, Cameroon, Nepal, Malaysia, Washington, D.C., Italy and France. 

Beautiful, gracious, witty, artistic, determined and fluent in several languages, Sandra touched the lives of those around the globe who had the luck of knowing her.  Throughout her life she helped many through volunteering and philanthropic pursuits.  A poet and an avid gardener, she saw beauty in life and conveyed this enthusiasm to those around her.

Her family was her greatest joy and the unconditional love she provided along with her joie de vivre lives on in her family – a legacy for the ages.

Don’t Cry for Me

Don’t cry for me when I die.

I have had a preview of heaven:

A tiny grandchild falling asleep in my arms,

A garden full of flowers buzzing with bees,

A husband with twinkling eyes full of love;

Yes, for me, but also for all he respects

And for those who need him.

Don’t cry for me when I die.

I have had a preview of heaven;

The love of family and friends

And household pets and those of the wild,

The sharing of life, sorrow and joy, in foreign lands,

Kindness unaccountable from daughters who fill my heart

And feed my intellect,

Ancestors who gave me the love and richness of their lives.

A taste of heaven which already satiates my soul.

Sandra DePaoli Twohie

2003