Obituary: Sandra Thompson - a woman of vision 'who lived her best life'

Sandra Thompson (née Croft-Pearson) of Dunhill and Tramore, who died on August 26, lived a life full of service and compassion, both to her family and the many worthy causes she advocated for over 82 eventful years.

Born in Hollingborne Manor, Kent, in 1942 to parents Pandora (neé Blackburn) and Sam Pearson, Sandra hailed from strong industrial and maritime roots. She was a grandniece of Viscount Lord Cowdrey, who spearheaded the family business, S Pearson & Sons.

An industrial conglomerate, the company was responsible for the construction of a series of international engineering feats, including the Gretna Green Munitions Factory in Northern England during World War I, amongst several other large works built throughout the world.

Her uncle, Brigadier General Lord Sir Henry Page Croft, served as a Member of Parliament and was Under-Secretary of State for War in Winston Churchill’s WWII war cabinet.

On her mother’s side, the Blackburns had a lengthy tradition of service in the British Royal Navy, particularly as submariners, including her grandfather, Lieutenant Commander James Alexander Pollard Blackburn, who was a WWI submarine skipper.

John Blackburn, an uncle of Sandra’s (James’s son), served in WWII as a Lieutenant Commander and was captain of the submarine HMS Affray. He died when the Affray sank off the coast of France in 1951.

His son, Anthony (Tom) became a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy and went on to serve as Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II. That tradition continues today through Sandra’s great-nephew who currently serves in the Royal Navy’s submarine service.

Sam, Sandra’s father, was a talented rally driver and won many rally events, including the Tour of Britain, the Dutch Tulip Rally, and was a successful and regular competitor in the famed Monte Carlo Rally, illustrating the depth of her family’s proud tradition in motorsport.

In her childhood, Sandra, along with twin sister Pepita, and brothers Julian and Gian, were sent to the Isle of Man to escape the Luftwaffe’s bombardment of London during the Blitz, while her parents stayed behind to support the war effort.

Following the end of WWII, the children were joined in the Isle of Man by their parents, and Sandra went on to spend much of the rest of her childhood there, on the island that she loved dearly.

Eulogising his mother at Ballybricken Church during her Requiem Mass, Sandra’s son André told mourners: “Throughout my mother’s life, she always referred to herself as Manx in no small part. She travelled back there for visits as often as she could and we travelled there regularly as children.” 

 The remainder of Sandra’s childhood was spent with her grandmother at the beautiful Wroxton Abbey in Banbury and having completed school, she went on to study photography, which catalysed a happy life, filled with art and creativity.

A champion swimmer and marathon runner, Sandra truly “lived her best life”, a point that Sandra’s Palliative Home Care Nurse re-iterated to her family during her final, testing, months and weeks.

During the 1960s, Sandra’s photography skills brought her throughout Europe and Africa, creating a deep and varied canon of work, documenting some extraordinary places and cultures. While living in Paris, she became good friends with author and playwright Samuel Beckett, a friendship which endured until his death in 1989.

A photography assignment brought Sandra to Irish shores, specifically to the Waterford Crystal factory, and it was on that particular visit that she met John Thompson, whom she married in 1968.

Settling into married life in Waterford, Sandra became more Irish than the Irish themselves, initially working in the Thompson family business, before becoming heavily, selflessly and enthusiastically involved in cross-community charity work.

She was a founder member of the Irish Kidney Association’s Waterford Branch, and over 30 years ago played an instrumental role in the development of holiday homes in Tramore fitted with their own dialysis units, which remain in operation today.

Sandra’s many other charitable works included working with RTÉ’s ‘People in Need’ fundraiser, the Tramore Development Trust, Alzheimer’s support groups and the Waterford Parole Support Service. 

In addition, she also ran a centre for several city-based charities in the former Manor Street School.

In May of this year, Sandra donated a large collection of antique toys and other childhood artefacts to Waterford Treasures, some more than 100 years’ old, as well as gifting important documents to the Waterford City & County Council Archive.

In recent years, with the great assistance of her colleagues, Sandra was involved in a project delivering sheltered housing for the elderly in Tramore, for which a site and funding was secured several years ago. That project has since been handed over to a housing agency and will hopefully be delivered in the near future.

But, as André stressed during his eulogy: “(Sandra’s) real first love was for her family, my father John, myself and my brothers, but especially her grandchildren. She loved children and loved nothing more than bringing the kids down her big garden, picking and planting all manner of fruits and vegetables along the way. It was where she was happiest, and she loved being there with the kids, and it was only in very recent weeks that her illness stopped her from doing that.” 

 In the past 15 years, Sandra received the news that no-one wishes to ever face: not one but two cancer diagnoses. When it returned for the second time and once she realised it was an obstacle that even her steadfastness could not overcome, Sandra decided to cease treatment. She wanted to see out her life on her own terms. And that’s exactly what she did, never complaining, putting everyone she cared for first.

Determined to keep on living, Sandra continued to attend her beloved Country Market, held in Saint Olaf’s Hall in Waterford City centre every Friday, until, despite her ever-willing spirit, the flesh grew weaker. 

Sandra treasured St Olaf’s and the friends she made there, fully embracing their love of craft and creativity.

“We know that it was only by sheer force of iron will that she stayed out of hospital, at home, in her garden, going to the market, spending time with her grandchildren, far longer than most others would have,” said André.

“Despite the pain and discomfort, that wasn’t going to stop her; she wanted to go out on her own terms, living her best life, and that is what she did. 

"When she asked me to arrange for her to be moved to the Oak Ward, she knew her time had come, and she knew she was ready. That was her decision, her choice when she went. 

"I believe she left her home and garden in Dunhill for the final time, knowing that she had squeezed every last drop of time she had out of her life - so in hindsight she didn’t lose her second battle. She won.” 

Sandra’s Requiem Mass was celebrated by Fr Tom Rogers PP, Fr Liam Power PP, Mons Pat Fitzgerald and Fr John Delaney PP. 

Hymns were sung by Donna Roche, who was accompanied by Mai McGrath.

Predeceased by her parents Sam and Pandora, and her twin sister Pepita, Sandra Thompson is survived by her loving husband John, sons Michael, Louis and André, daughters-in-law Anita, Emer and Clodagh, grandchildren Conor, Sam, Grace, Anita, John, Hugo and George, brothers Gian and Julian, in-laws, extended family and friends.

The Thompson family wish to express their eternal gratitude for the incredible support they have received since August 26. 

They also wish to offer sincere thanks to the team at the Solas Cancer Support Centre, the South East Palliative Care Service’s Home Care team, and the wonderful Oak Ward staff at UHW for everything they did for Sandra.

André Thompson stated: “It was also a huge comfort to hear from so many about how my mother touched their lives, and how selflessly she worked for others, through her many charitable works.” 

 Acknowledging that he had referenced his mother’s illness considerably during the eulogy, André said he had done so given how “utterly selfless” Sandra had proven both in sickness and in health.

“The lesson from my mother’s life?… know that you can win, know that there are so many incredible people to support you, and win or lose - live your best life - but above all, fight until the end, like my mother did, do that and you will always win. 

"In the words of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas: ‘do not go gentle into that good night; rage, rage, against the dying of the light’.” 

As one sympathiser aptly put it: “Sandra was a force of nature, with great ideas, work ethic, vision and determination who put others before herself.” 

Sandra Thompson. What a woman. What a life. May she Rest In Peace.