Sandra Lee Ballou

Sandra Lee Ballou was born on June 3, 1951 and made her full trip around the sun until her passing on June 3, 2022. She was born in Harlem, New York at Harlem Hospital to parents Howard and Carrie Ballou. After her family, along with sister April, moved to the Bronx, NY, she attended Walton High School. 

Her professional career started shortly after she graduated where she worked for the NY City Health Department. But her love for reading and information, eventually brought her to an over 40-year career working in the public library industry. Sandra began this journey with the Hunts Point Library in the Bronx. She eventually made her way to the NY Public Library in Manhattan for several years. In her late 20’s and with her two children Stacy and Tiffin, she moved her family to Passaic, NJ. There she landed at the Passaic Public Library where she retired in 2013. 

A natural born storyteller with a passion for music, Sandra was a creative spirit. If she wasn’t reading a book, or listening to an audio book reading, doing some sketch art, she was listening to music. Her albums were her treasures. At any given moment, you could hear some James Brown, Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, etc. blaring from her apartment. If you were in her presence, you could feel the heartiness of her personality. She had a unique sense of humor and brought a smile, some good conversation, and a hearty laugh to all she was around. And just like the timeless music she loved, she will forever live on.

She is survived by her family: sister April Duncan, daughter Stacy Dunnemann, son Tiffin Ballou, grandchildren James Dunnemann II, Ashley Dunnemann, Zakiah Meeks and Elijah Meeks, niece Starr Adkins Lowe, nephew Sharod Duncan and a host of loving grand nieces, grand nephews, and cousins.

AFTERGLOW

I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one.

l'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done

l'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,

Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.

I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;

Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.

-Anonymous 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sandra Lee Ballou, please visit our floral store.