Obituary of Sandra Gail Sebastian

Sandra Gail Sebastian, 61 years of age, passed away on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at her home in High Bridge, NJ. The daughter of the late George and Vivian Sebastian, she was born on December 15, 1962, in Rahway, NJ, and was the youngest of five children. She is survived by her loving brothers and sisters Mark (Betsy) Sebastian, Vernon Hills, IL; David (Carolyn) Sebastian, Summit, NJ; Susan (George) Hanlon, Tampa, FL; and Sheryl (Michael) Carr, Wendell, NC. Very important to her were her nephews and nieces: Allison Pomeroy and Justin Jordan; Ryan, Dylan and Tyler Sebastian; Corinne Volpe and Jared Riley-Hanlon; Erin and Spencer Carr; and stepson Derek Huber. A fierce lover of animals, Sandra always had pets; and to the end, her babies Millie and Harpo comforted her and brought her joy – and she them.

Sandra graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, embarking on a vocation in hairdressing. She knew from a young age that she was a tactile and visual person, so she was eager to venture out into the world of cosmetology, which was to be her career and passion for her lifetime. Also, Sandy explored for a short time the field of nursing where she also excelled and held a degree. 

In the beginning of her hairdressing journey, Sandra worked her way up to a level of excellence that impressed her employers, co-workers, and ultimately her employees, when she opened her FaceFrame Studio in High Bridge. She was a natural teacher, encouraging each stylist to develop their unique and individual talents. She often commented that her specialty was short and curly hair. 

Now to the present. Sandra, simply put, we will miss you. Each one of us experiences grief in different ways but grieve we do. Friends, as you view her pictures, you’ll see the camera captured the essence of who she was. She was elegant, playful, filled with Elan. But life is as complex as Sandy was. She questioned her purpose here on earth in the most direct way: by taking risks, exploring the unknown even when it frightened her (which she rarely let on), by blazing her own unique trail, seeming to know that each stage of life is fleeting. She would want you to know there’s so much to see, so much to experience, so much to learn, every single day. In that way, she personified her belief that one should give with open hands - as well as receive - even if it meant bluntness, because it was meant to be an important lesson.

With Sandra’s memory, we can find a gentle rhythm and flow because love and remembrance provide comfort. So just as the sun sets but also rises, there is that sense of peace knowing there is this enduring bond that transcends what we can comprehend. With her living and now departing, we are surely saddened but we will, as she would want, celebrate life because she has lived. So let us honor now her noble aspirations.

Sandra’s garden was plentiful in the end and visited by many varied and colorful birds. This is fitting. It’s a metaphor for her life: when one visualizes a perfectly beautiful outcome, the journey is fruitful and worthwhile.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025, 2-4 p.m., at Martin Funeral Home, 1761 Route 31, Clinton, NJ 08809. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Sandy’s name to Hunterdon Hospice of Flemington, NJ (Please Click Here to Donate), the American Cancer Society (Please Click Here to Donate )or The Nature Conservancy (Please Click Here to Donate).

Heartfelt thanks and gratitude are extended to the numerous providers, caregivers, friends and staff who were steadfastly with Sandra and who worked to make her feel secure and comforted. We also are buoyed by the outpouring of love felt by all those who knew and cared for her. We should all feel so loved!

Fate has brought us together, and wherever I am now, I will also be with you.