Sandra Petrelle Hebert, 76, of North Haven, passed away suddenly on Sunday, October 15, 2017 at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was the wife of 54 years to her loving husband John. Sandi was born in New Haven on April 1, 1941 and was the daughter of the late Salvatore Andre Petrelle and Alice Maturo Petrelle. She was employed by Yale University where she recently retired after 36 years. Mother of Marc (Kristen) Hebert of North Haven, Amy (Tim) Verre of Wethersfield and Paul Hebert of Pompano Beach, FL. She also leaves behind her five grandchildren whom she cherished and adored Danielle, Ricky and Andrew Verre of Wethersfield, Payton and Reece Hebert of North Haven.
Family and friends are invited to go directly to St. Barnabas Church, 44 Washington Avenue, North Haven on Thursday morning at 11:30 to attend a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family. The visiting hours will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 pm at the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Haven, Inc. 89 Mill Road, North Haven, CT 06473 or the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 901 E Street, NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20004-2025.(202)737-3400. Donations can be made online nleomf.com.
To the Hebert Family,
In my sophomore year at Yale, I lived in the “Little Tower” in Morse College, and I passed Sandi’s office on my way in and out every day. She was a truly lovely person, kind and funny, and made college life for a somewhat moody and confused teenager much more homelike and pleasant. I was so pleased to see the news that she retired recently, and I’m just so very sorry that she was lost so much too soon. My heart goes out to you for your loss. Please know that Sandi will be remembered by me, and so many students whose lives she touched.
Fondly,
Bryony Romer MC’90
We miss Sandy already. A good friend of Al’s mother, Mary, she and John were so generous and thoughtful as they celebrated each of life’s events with us: our wedding, the birth of our first and second child, our sisters’ wedding. We know the family must be crushed by this sudden loss and you’re in our thoughts and prayer.
My heart is breaking in a million ways for Sandi’s family and loved ones. I have known Sandi for nine years – she was one of the first people I met when I came to Yale, and she was a rock for me the whole time I was there. She saved my neck a few times when I got in trouble with the Dean, and was always the kindest ear for me for less important things. I spent many hours either with Sandi in Mary’s office or with Mary in Sandi’s office, all three of us putting off more important work to just sit around and talk about less-important but far-more-enjoyable things. I’ll never ever forget the series of conversations Sandi and I had when I came out – she was so full of compassion and irreverent humor that I couldn’t help but take myself a little less seriously (and, predictably, that was exactly what I needed right then…).
Whenever Sandi comes to my mind I can’t help but smile and laugh – that’s what happened every time I was around her – and I hope that the heavy hearts of everyone who knew her will be lifted by the same good memories. I’m so sorry that last time I saw her I didn’t tell her how grateful I am for her. She will be greatly missed.
Sandi was an important part of my time at Morse – she worked tirelessly to help us with all everything we needed and she became an integral part of the fabric of our everyday life at college. She will be missed dearly. We love you Sandi!
John, I am thinking of you and your family. Your wife of 54 years…just beautiful
I am so sorry for the sudden loss of such a special person who influenced so many lives. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to you Amy and your wonderful and caring family
I’m so sorry to hear this sad news. I was one of the many, many students whose lives she touched. As another student mentioned above, I was so pleased to hear about her recent retirement–this loss comes much too soon. Sandi was a cherished part of the Morse community and will be remembered for her competence, good humor, warmth, and kindness. She will be missed.
Amy and family,
I can’t imagine the pain you are all experiencing right now. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.
I am so sorry for Sandi’s family and friends. I know Sandi from work and can attest to the fact that Sandi cared deeply about her Morse students. She was often the first adult who students spoke with when in distress, and she always tried to help them, no matter what issues they faced. Some students were homesick, or had roommate conflicts, or other problems that Sandi had seen countless times, but Sandi understand that in that moment, and to those students (and their parents, with whom Sandi often spoke on the telephone) those problems were truly important. Sandi thus took these students seriously and helped them put their problems in perspective. Some students, while still just teenagers, entered Sandi’s office in tremendous distress. She saw students who struggled with serious health issues, including chronic illness. Some faced the loss of parents and grandparents. No matter what the problem, big or small, Sandi provided support and a calming voice, and the students often left her office in a better place than when they entered. I worked with Sandi for 10 years, and she was absolutely dependable: she took her responsibilities very seriously. It was due to her efforts that generations of Morse students graduated; it was her attentiveness that identified problems that, unspotted, would have kept countless undergraduates from earning their degrees. But as much pride as she took in her job, and as much as she loved her “Morsels,” Sandi’s passion for her family was always present, even in the office. She had family photos prominently displayed, and in addition to sharing news about her husband and children, she would regularly update me on her grandchildren. Her face truly lit up whenever she spoke about them, whether she was talking about her grandsons’ high school football games, or about one of her granddaughters singing (I think Sandi once told me that she had perfect pitch), or about another granddaughter’s efforts to join the police force. It brightened my day to see Sandi so happy, even during those moments when the work in her office was so challenging. Sandi had a positive effect on so many lives, as well as on my own family, and the Morse and Yale College community is saddened by our loss.
To Sandi’s family, I’m so sorry for your loss. She was a founding member of Local 34, and a strong fighter for equal pay for equal work. I ‘m proud to call her a Union sister, and friend. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
To John and family, we wish to express our deepest sympathy for ypur loss. We are so, so sorry!
Rosanna and Lou
When my daughter married Marc Hebert we became part of another wonderful family. We enjoyed Marc’c family and always felt welcomed.
We shared two wonderful granddaughters together and all tink the world of them and their wonderful older cousins.
We alll will always miss Sandi as she was an amazisng woman and special friend.
I am still in shock as she was too young to leave us so soon. The Heberts now have their own special Angel above watching over them so listen close and do as she says! ( I think Sandi would have liked that.)
Love you all, Caroline
To the Hebert family, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. I always remember her smiling face.
Sandi touched so many Morsels’ lives. Thank you, Sandi, for your years of tireless work to make Yale/Morse a more navigable, less overwhelming, always enriching experience. Without you, my college experience and many others would have been far worse, and I, for one, may not have made it to graduation.
Amy and family – we are so sorry for your sudden loss – mom and dad enjoyed visting with your mom at the north haven pool and cant believe she is gone – all our love and prayers gor you and your family during this difficult time
Amy and family,
I am so sorry for your loss.
I am thinking of you and wishing you moments of peace and comfort.
With heartfelt sympathy.
Lorie
My warmest and earliest childhood memories are filled with my love for my Aunt Abby, Uncle Sal and Sandi. Living just two doors away on Millis Street in Hamden, like we were one close family. I’m so grateful to have had Sandi and her Mom and Dad in my life.
My thoughts are with you John, Amy, Marc and Paul.
Dave
My goodness how do I even begin to recall growing up with my cousin, Sandi? So many holiday and Sunday dinners together with my Uncle Sal taking pictures and films, lighting all of us capturing our being together as a family so joyously gathered around a feast of dinner. First an antipasto. piled high with Genoa salami and cheeses and mushrooms, and anchovied and tuna in the center. Then ravioli with a thick, rich Sunday sauce simmered with meatballs, and sausage and spare ribs. And then it was time for turkey and stuffing and the works. How is it we didn’t weight 5,000 lbs. This remains a mystery.
Sandi was always the older woman to me. Beautiful, sophisticated, fashionable. I have a picture of her somewhere with my sister and them both wearing saddle shoes. She met John and that was so wonderful. Here’s the scoop. John gave me my first beer when I was 17 . We took a trip to Hartford or somewhere together to a warehouse to buy suits. John, I am so sorry for your loss and the fact that it came out of nowhere. Dave and Carol are coming and i would be if I could but I had a procedure done to my knee today and am limping around. I do promise I will get to North Haven and see you and Marc and Amy and express my heart-felt condolences in person. I also had a fantastic conversation with Paul and intend on calling Amy tomorrow. When I come, let’d share a deep hug in her memory, then lgo out and get a New Haven pizza at Pepe’s or Sally’s or wherever you want because there are amazingly special things in life, like the memories I have of Sandi and New Haven pizza.
God bless
Some people say, ‘She’s just like a sister to me.’ For them, that may be so. But my cousin Sandi WAS a sister to me. We grew up next door to one another and spent an equal amount of time in one another’s homes and with those extended aunts, uncles and sibling brothers. We slept in the same bed, her at the top. and me the younger less fortunate, at the bottom, smelling one another’s feet. And we were sisterly in nearly every way. I was a rabid tomboy; she a pretty princess. She made me play dress up and climbed a tree in the old dress and ripped it. She loved school. I hated school. She made me play school. She broke her arm twice on roller skates but I zoomed down the sidewalk (I did help her take off her skates both times!) She was an excellent ice-skater and excelled into the Gay-Blades but I never made it out of the Penguins. When we took riding lessons, I rode around the corral the first time and she quit. And so on. We didn’t dwell on these differences. We didn’t have choices. We were sisters. And regardless of whatever else became our destiny, nothing really has changed. Not the love. Even now.
Dear Family. I am so sorry to see the death notice of Sandra in the New Haven Register. I remember her from Morse College when I was with the Yale University Office of the Fire Marshal. She was always there to help in any way possible. Your family is in our prayers and take care. Doug and Karen Golden
I was so saddened to hear of Sandi’s passing. Like many who have already posted, Sandi was an important part of the Morse family. She was so kind to all of the students–we all appreciated her listening ear and thoughtful words, but I think she especially touched students who needed a little extra guidance during their time at Yale. Her cookies were legendary. And her memory was epic–she recognized my face when I visited campus more than a decade after my graduation. I was so pleased to write a card to her thanking her for her service to Yale upon her retirement, and I am so sad to be writing a condolence note so soon after. Much love to her family, who I know she loved so much.
So sorry she was a wonderful mother. It’s so sad to here this
Dear Hebert Family-
I moved to New Haven in 2003 (from MN), where I lived as a Fellow for 5 years at Morse College. Sandi (and the rest of the Morse family) were so kind and supportive to me during this transition period in my life and career. I was so saddened to learn of her passing. A kind and generous soul-as others have attested, she played a major role in defining the warmth of the Morse culture/community during those years. My deepest condolences to you during this time of loss- Sandi will be dearly missed…