Obituary: Lincoln Raymond 'Ray' Sander, 82

The following obituary of Sandy Hook resident Lincoln Raymond “Ray” Sander, 82, is from Honan Funeral Home:

Lincoln Raymond “Ray” Sander, of Sandy Hook, Conn., passed away on Monday, January 24, 2022, at the age of 82. After several years of declining health, Lincoln died peacefully with his beloved wife Jean by his side.

Lincoln was born in Flushing, New York, on November 3, 1939, to father Edward Lincoln Sander and mother Helen Blackwood. The oldest of two sons, he grew up in Bayside, Queens, and was the life of the party at Bayside High School’s graduating class of 1958. After high school, he enlisted in the Navy. He traveled to many ports all over the world on the U.S.S. Charles H. Roan DD853 and was honorably discharged in 1960.

Lincoln returned to New York; he took a few classes at New York University and joined his father as a salesman at Baldwin Paper Company in the printing paper industry. For most of his career as a gregarious salesman in the paper business he worked with book publishers in North America. Lincoln was well-liked, a good mentor, and always had a good story to tell. He retired in 2004 as senior vice president of Strategic Paper Group.

With his first wife, he had two children, Lincoln and Amy. He later met Jean, his second wife, and they were married in 1985.

In his spare time, Lincoln was an active member of the early American Antiques and Art Community. Both he and Jean exhibited at many fine antiques shows in New England and New York for over 40 years, including the American Folk Art Museum exhibit in New York City. In retirement, he was president of the Board of Trustees of the Newtown Historical Society, member of the Newtown Lions Club, and a consultant with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage on the purchase and sale of antique homes. He was the executive director of the Antique Dealers’ Association of America (ADA) from 2007 to 2016.

He is survived by his wife, Jean V. Sander; son, Lincoln Edward Sander; daughter, Amy Carol Kaeuper, and her husband, Ingo; granddaughter, Emma; and his brother, Jeffrey Sander, and his wife, Mala.

Visitation for family and friends was held on Jan. 30, and the burial was held in Long Island for family only.