STEINGARD, Sandra ?Sandy? (Smuckler) Steingard, 64 years of age, of Bonita Springs, FL and Avon, CT, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family and friends, Saturday, August 8, 2009 at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. Born November 13, 1944 in Bridgeport, CT, Sandy was the daughter of the late Roberta Smuckler Bauer Wolper and Bernard Smuckler. She was a 1960 graduate of Andrew Warde High School in Fairfield and received her Bachelor?s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Connecticut in 1964. Sandy spent the next 30 years in various capacities helping and comforting the elderly and the young. She was the Director of Rehabilitation Services at the Jewish Home for the Aged in New Haven, CT. and co-chaired the Geriactric Special Interest Group of Physical Therapists in the State of CT for 15 years. Sandy also worked for ACES in Hamden and upon retirement, worked briefly as a pharmacy technician and performed respite care for the elderly. She was also a former member of Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden as well as a board member and children’s library volunteer. Sandy was an avid fan of the UCONN Husky men?s and women?s basketball teams, and a talented and enthusiastic mahjong player. But most importantly, Sandy loved to spend time with her family and friends. She will be dearly missed by all who loved and knew her. She is survived by her beloved husband of 43 years, Norm Steingard; her son and daughter-in-law, Bryan and Joanne Steingard of Germantown, MD, and her daughter Beth Murphy of Natick, MA; her sister and brother-in-law Arlene and Danny Domue of York, PA; and her brother and sister-in-law Allen and Jeanie Smuckler of Southbury, CT; her sisters-in-law Selma Glazer of MA and Muri Reed and husband Frank of CA; her treasured grandchildren Caroline and Sam Steingard and Alexandra and Emma Murphy; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 11:00 AM in the Chapel of the Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Ave., Hartford. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, Southern New England Region – Meriden, CT, Meriden Executive Park, 538 Preston Avenue, Meriden, CT 06450 (www.cancer.org). For further information, directions, or to share memories of Sandy with the family, visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.