December 5, 1941 ~ August 4, 2021 Sandra Lee "Sandy" Martines passed away peacefully in the presence of her loving and devoted family in her home on August 4, 2021. She lost her fight after battling cancer three times. Despite all that she had endured, she always had a positive attitude, appreciated every bot of life, and never took anything for granted. Her passions were her family and the love of her gardens. She donated and gifted many of her plants. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and gardens of everyone she interacted with. Se was always more concerned for others than herself. After her first battle with cancer, she decided she wanted to give back to the care she received. She went to nursing school as an adult, after having her four daughters, and began her career as a geriatric nurse. As her career developed her focus changed to caring for patients with AIDS. Later, as a nurse manager, her mission was to make sure that no patient passed away alone. In 1984, she was awarded Massachusetts Nurse of the year. After 25 years of nursing, she retired with her husband, Frank from Chelmsford, MA to West Yarmouth, MA in Cape Cod. She spent that last years of her life grateful to live in her home known as paradise. She leaves behind her husband, Frank Martines of 62 years of marriage, daughters Kimberly and Jacques Ricard, Donna and Charles Dahlgren, Christin and Robert Baroni, Tami Blanchette and companion Bruce Thompson, 12 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren, as well as her sisters Karen Waterman, Nancy Hanright, Melody Little, and brother Ralph Gates and his wife Beverly Gates. She is predeceased by her parents, Betty and Ralph Gates and dog, Maxx. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Middlesex Community College Foundation, PO Box 8681, Lowell, MA 01583 with a notation on check that the gift is in memory of Sandra Martines. As proud alumna of Middlesex Community College, a scholarship has been established to be awarded to deserving nursing students with an interest in oncology. A celebration of her wonderful life is to be determined. Obituary lovingly written by the family of Sandra Lee 'Sandy" Martines