Sandra Shannon (nee Seltzer), of Owings Mills, Maryland, passed away on Wednesday, May 7, at the age of 87.
She is survived by her loving children, Mark (Susan) Shannon, Jacqueline Mottek, Shelley Goldstein, Robert Mottek, Benn (Christy) Shannon, Anne Mottek and Sara (Seth) Schwartzman; adoring brother, Fred (Dora) Seltzer; beloved grandchildren, Caitlyn Shannon, Courtney Shannon, Ruth (Biruk) Sahlemariam, Isabelle Lee, Hannah Mottek, Lucas Mottek, Amy (Chris) Stabila, Aaron (Heather) Shannon, Rachel (Robert) Cooke, Audrey Shannon, Natalie Ebertz Lucas (David Ebertz), Nicole Lucas, Ava Schwartzman and Jacob Schwartzman; nine cherished great-grandchildren; and many loving nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her devoted husband, Herbert Shannon; adored grandson, Joel Shannon; caring son-in-law, Aryeh Leib Goldstein; loving siblings, Natalie (Leon) Hoffman and Herb (Adeline) Seltzer; and treasured parents, Harry and Rose Seltzer. Sandra was the youngest of four beautiful children born to Harry and Rose Seltzer.
As the baby, Sandy was lovingly doted on by her parents and siblings throughout her life. At the age of eighteen, Sandy married Harry Mottek, with whom she had three gorgeous children – Jacqueline, Robert, and Anne. Sandy, Harry, and their children traveled around the world, living in New Jersey, Germany, and Arizona. After her divorce from Harry, Sandy and the children returned to Baltimore to be close to family.
While mingling at a Parents Without Partners event, Sandy met Herbert Shannon, who she married in 1972. As a result of her marriage to Herb, Sandy was blessed to gain three more incredible children – Mark, Shelley, and Benn. Sara, the youngest, was born in 1981, when Sandy was forty-three and Herb was fifty-five.
Sandy is the grandmother of fifteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Sandy loved her family unconditionally. She comforted her children when they were down and fervently supported them in their chosen pursuits.
Sandy would never say “no” to anything asked of her, by her family or by her friends. She was extremely social, spending her free time dining out and playing bridge, mah jongg, and Scrabble.
Sandy was gifted with an incredible soprano voice. She shared this gift by singing in choirs for decades. She was also known to serenade her family – both at home and in public – when it struck her fancy.
Sandy was proud of her Jewish heritage and spent decades serving on the board of B’nai B’rith Women/Jewish Women International’s Lillie Strauss Chapter. Sandy’s warmth, bright smile, and silly sense of humor will be missed by all who knew her.
Contributions in her memory may be sent to Jewish Women International, 1701 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 or American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
