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Sandra (Elwell) Thompson, 79, passed away at Kent Hospital on April 22, with her husband, Gerald, at her side. Sandra was born on Jan. 18, 1942, in Providence and was the daughter of Virginia (Lyle) and Frederick Elwell. She grew up in Wickford and graduated from East Greenwich High School where she met and later married high school sweetheart, Gerald “Jerry” Thompson.

In Sandra’s life, she held many roles: wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. She was naturally artistic and applied her many talents toward sewing, knitting, and flower arranging among other things. She had an appetite for reading and took night courses to become an amateur yet skilled chef. She enjoyed any excuse to gather around a dinner table and spent many hours preparing extravagant meals for her family. Sandra’s interest in the visual and culinary arts, strong family bond and love of togetherness inspired her children and grandchildren to follow in her footsteps.

Sandra was an underwater enthusiast, and loved to travel. She studied and practiced scuba diving and on one occasion, she stumbled upon the opportunity to become an amateur shark wrestler. Sandra was given the nickname “Bobo Cousteau” for her love of the ocean and was argued to be a younger-yet-lesser-known distant relative to Jacques Cousteau in spirit if not in body alone.

Sandra loved plants and worked alongside her husband, Jerry, at Briarbrook Farm. Her infectious smile, warm lunches, and positive attitude made everyone, family, employees, and customers alike, feel truly welcomed and appreciated.

Sandra is survived by her husband, their four children and their families: daughter, Dianne (Thompson) Hutton, and her husband, Michael; daughter, Lisa (Thompson) Samek, and her husband Gary; son, Stephen, and his wife, Mia; and son James. She also leaves behind her loving grandchildren, Kelsey (Samek) with her husband Kevin Simmons, Christopher Samek, and Violet and Oliver Thompson. Sandra is also survived by her brother, Edward Elwell, his wife, Beverly, and their daughter, Heather.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on April 29, at Hill Funeral Home in East Greenwich. Her funeral service will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Alzheimer’s Association. 

You can leave an online condolence at the funeral home HERE.