Sandra Joan Boch

February 28, 1945– September 1, 2026

Sandra Boch, 81, passed away on September 1, 2026, surrounded by family and friends in the comfort of her home. A devoted wife, mother, and friend, she leaves behind a life and a presence that will not easily be forgotten.

Sandra was funny and complicated, fiercely independent and generous, creative, curious, glamorous, stubborn, adventurous, and loving. She was, above all, entirely herself. 

Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, her childhood was not an easy one. After her father left when she was just five years old, Sandra grew up with very little as one of seven children raised by their hardworking mother. Life became more stable when her mother, then in her mid-forties, married a young sailor in his mid-twenties who embraced not only his new wife, but the five children still living at home, helping to raise them as his own. The hardships of those early years, along with this unexpected turn of good fortune, helped shape the strength, independence, and resilience she carried throughout her life.

After high school, Sandra met her future husband, Ben, in memorable fashion: At the urging of a girlfriend, she approached and playfully challenged him, and Ben boldly responded by kissing her, much to her surprise! The next day, they met again in a waiting room. Ben recognized her, walked over, and the pair talked. He asked her to join him at a drive-in movie, and after getting her parent's permission, she agreed. She would later tell Ben many times that she had been happy to see him walk through that door. That first meeting marked the beginning of a life together. They married after dating 11 months and soon embarked on their first adventure, moving to Germany, where Ben was stationed for two years. It was there that she became a mother for the first time, welcoming their oldest daughter, Lisa.

She loved being a mother, and four years after Lisa was born, despite being advised against another pregnancy and facing considerable difficulty, she welcomed her second daughter, Christine. Her determination to have another child reflected how deeply she cherished motherhood and the fierce devotion she would always have for her family.

She and Ben both came from modest beginnings, and together, through hard work and perseverance, they built a life that offered their family opportunities and comforts they themselves had not always known growing up. She took great pride in the life they created and in our family at the center of it.

While raising her daughters, Sandra threw herself into being a mother and into the life of her family. She was active in the PTA and never shied away from trying something new. She was a devoted fitness enthusiast, something of an aerobics and Pilates class junkie, ran in a six-mile race with her daughter, and made a sport out of yard work as well. She had a lifelong love of shopping and especially loved to travel, relishing the opportunity to see new places and experience a world far beyond the one in which she had grown up. 

Sandra had an unmistakable sense of style and a lifelong appreciation for beautiful things. Fashion, cooking, and baking were more than passing interests; they were ways she expressed her creativity and, especially in the kitchen, her love for others. She was a wonderful cook who could make just about anything, from Hungarian goulash, hearty beef stew, and spaghetti to the baked treats her family came to know and love: pizzelles, apricot roll ups, poppy seed cake, and so much more. Food was one of the ways she cared for her family, and the dishes she made became part of the memories, traditions, and celebrations they shared. She also had a special place in her heart for animals and loved the family dogs and cat dearly. But Peaches, the family’s Yorkshire Terrier, held an especially treasured place in her heart for almost 19 years. The bond they shared was one of the great joys of her life.

She brought that same creativity and attention to detail to the way she dressed and the home she created. She loved clothes, took pleasure in putting herself together, and had an instinct for what looked just right. Her eye for beauty extended to decorating, and she took pleasure in surrounding herself and her family with things she found beautiful. Whether preparing something special in the kitchen, choosing an outfit, finding the perfect piece for a room, or discovering a treasure while shopping, she had strong opinions, definite tastes, and a style that was distinctly her own.

When her youngest daughter was 13, Sandra returned to the workforce and, in characteristic fashion, worked her way up from the ground floor. She began by going door to door conducting consumer surveys about everyday products such as pantyhose. Through hard work and sheer perseverance, she steadily built a career that ultimately led her to become an Executive Assistant to CEOs of major companies. It was an accomplishment of which she could be proud, and one that reflected just how far she had traveled from the circumstances of her childhood.

She will be deeply missed.

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday September 12, 2026 from 12:00pm-2:00pm with a memorial service to follow at 2:00pm at Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home & Cremation Care,P.A 495 Ritchie Hwy Severna Park, MD 21146.