Sandy M. Voigt

Suntine “Sandy” M. Voigt (née Piunno), born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 17, 1942, transitioned from this world on the morning of May 26th, 2023 at the age of 80. She leaves behind her beloved children David and Amy, her sister Marie (Phil Meltzer) niece Thea, and many cousins, friends, and colleagues, all of whom she adored and loved unconditionally.

Firstborn daughter of Christopher Piunno and Dorothy LaScola, our mother was a native Clevelander, raised in the Collinwood and South Euclid neighborhoods, and later spent her final years in Beachwood. She attended Collinwood HIgh School, class of 1961 and was a proud member of her neighborhood crews the DiAngelaos and the Kit-Kats along with her lifelong friends – including her best friend, Vivian Wallace Mazzolini. She loved those formative years and was always quick to recount wonderfully colorful stories about growing up Italian and Catholic in Collinwood surrounded by a doting family; hijinks and adventures with her best friends at Geneva on the Lake; and having a powerful sense of belonging to a community that loved and supported each other in both the best and most trying of times.

Upon graduation, and although she often harbored dreams of moving to NYC to attend the glamorous Barbizon finishing school, she eventually decided to go to college - one of the few from her graduating class to do so. After attending Miami University of Ohio, she met and married her husband, Lt. Col Richard H. Voigt (USMC, deceased) and embarked on a life of travel, adventure, and unpredictability which is par for the course for most military families. New destinations and new homes included the Pacific island of Guam (where her son David was born;) Quantico, Virginia (where her daughter Amy was born;) Southern California (multiple times;) Newport, Rhode Island (her favorite;) Camp LeJeune, North Carolina; Lansing, Michigan, and Rome, Italy. Although she mostly enjoyed the nomadic life of a military family, she never forgot her roots and always longed to return to her beloved hometown.

Although one of her main goals was to start a family and be a doting mother, she loved the independence that being a working person afforded her and took immense pride in her career as a medical secretary. No matter where she lived, she always managed to find a hospital or doctor that was glad to take her and her excellent skills on - including the years she was back in Cleveland, most notably at University Hospitals, St. Luke’s Medical Center, and the Cleveland Clinic.

It is hard to put into words what a complex, incredible presence Sandy was. To quote Bob Dylan, she contained multitudes. She always pursued a good time and loved to laugh; was partial to a good, strong dirty martini or margarita. Music (Elvis!,) art, and reading were featured prominently in her life and she passed this passion on to her children. She was insatiably curious about the world and the lives of others, and would always be up for an engaging and thought-provoking discussion of politics and current affairs. She was open hearted and anyone that knew her understood that she lived her life on her sleeve, yet had a powerful inner life and was as deep, smart, and thoughtful as they come.

Most of all though, she was a completely devoted and loving mother, the best anyone could have ever hoped for. She was immensely proud of her children; considering them her greatest accomplishment. She went to any lengths to support and encourage their artistic and creative dreams. It is impossible to express what a profound and deep loss this is for all who knew her, and this loss will be with us until the end of our days. How lucky we all are to have shared our one time on this planet with her.

Rest in peace, power, and endless love, Sunshine.

Hello Dearest Family and Friends,

Please join us to honor the life of Sandy (Piunno) Voigt, our beloved mother and sister, as we gather to celebrate her and what she meant to all of us. As you know, she loved nothing more than being together with the people she loved to eat, drink, and have great conversations. This celebration of her life is meant to be a reflection of the kind of get-together she would have wanted each of us to enjoy.

She brought so much happiness and good cheer to all who knew her, so we ask you to gather with us to celebrate her life by sharing any and all of your favorite memories, moments, anecdotes, or pictures with everyone - or just being there to share the energy and enjoy being together.

We envision starting around 2pm with an introductory toast at one of her favorite places, our cousin Joe’s place The Mill Tavern - a place many of you know and have gathered at over the years - on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 5547 Wilson Mills Rd, Cleveland, OH 44143. Of course, this is an informal event, as she would have wanted it - so dress and such is casual - but of course feel free to come as you would like.

Please let us know if you have any questions about anything at all, or if you need assistance getting to and/or from Joe’s. We would also ask that you help us spread the word to those who may not use email or otherwise does not receive this note.

We would like to let people know that there will be a funeral mass in her honor at Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church located at 15712 Kipling Ave, Cleveland, OH 44110 on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 12 noon.

Thank you all so much for your love and support, and we look forward to being together.

As she in her later years became a fierce lover and protector of all the beautiful creatures we share Earth with, please consider donating in her honor and memory (in lieu of flowers) to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in upstate NY; a safe haven and sanctuary for abused, neglected, and escaped farmed animals. We brought her there once, as David was a frequent volunteer, and it made a huge impact on her and her perception of the inner life and value of all creatures great and small, and she continued to support their efforts afterwards. She would have appreciated this immensely.

https://casanctuary.org/support-us-2/donate/