Manchester Obituary: Sandra Thomson, 71

Sandra “Sandi” Alice (Malin) Thomson, Ph.D., 71, of Churchville, MD and formerly of Manchester, beloved wife of George M. Thomson, Ph.D., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 25, 2015, in East Granby.

Born in Hartford on May 9, 1944, daughter of the late George J. and Alice (Riskus) Malin, she was raised in Manchester and was a graduate of Manchester High School, Class of 1962. After high school, Sandi continued her education at the University of Connecticut, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Biochemistry in 1966 and then with her Ph.D. in Biochemical Nutrition in 1970. Sandi and her husband George moved to Atlanta, GA and then to Edgewood, MD before settling in Churchville, MD in 1977.

Sandi left the workforce to stay home and raise her two daughters for 8 years. At the age of 35, she returned to work and took a position with the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Research, Development & Engineering Center. She quickly rose to the position of Chief of Toxicology and was a world recognized authority on chemical weapons. She managed 115 scientists, engineers, and technicians during her 14 years as the chief of toxicology. In her spare time, Sandi enjoyed showing her English Springer Spaniels throughout the Northeast in agility competitions.

She and her husband remained close to their alma mater, the University of Connecticut and were avid UConn Women’s Basketball fans. During the Spring and Summer, she enjoyed spending time with her husband tending to the flower gardens around their home and cutting fresh flowers that she would arrange in vases and baskets.

Sandi was a parishioner of Holy Trinity Church in Churchville, MD where she served on the Vestry, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, and on numerous other committees and groups within the life of the church.

Besides her husband George, she leaves two daughters, Allison Gail Thomson-Vicuna and her husband Mark of East Granby and Serena Thomson of Catonsville, MD; a brother, George A. Malin of Manchester; a cousin, Dorothy Gledich of Broad Brook; a sister-in-law, Ellie Thomson of Bristol; and her beloved Springer Spaniels, Bodie and Glory.

Her family will receive friends on Saturday, August 29, 3-6 p.m., with a prayer service at 5 p.m., at the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor. A memorial service will be held at Holy Trinity Church in Churchville, MD in September.

Sandi’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Penn Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY 10122 or by visiting, www.ocrf.org/donate.

See more at: www.carmonfuneralhome.com.