After meeting the love of his life, Fay Antonucci, at a Hunter College dance, Sandy and Fay were married a year later on September 11, 1954, in the middle of Hurricane Edna. This wet and windy beginning to their marriage proved to be a good omen, because Sandy and Fay were happily married for over 60 years until Fay’s passing on March 10, 2015. They were the proud and loving parents of three boys, Robert, Paul, and Andrew, and the devoted grandparents of Paul’s son, Nicholas. Sandy lived in Middle Village from the time of his wedding until his passing, residing in the same house for 62 years. For that period of time, Sandy and Fay were also parishioners of Resurrection-Ascension Parish.

The one thing that everyone knew about Sandy was that from the time he was 8 years old, he was a diehard Boston Red Sox fan. In a city of Yankee, Dodger, Giant, and in later years, Met fans, Sandy was a dedicated member of Red Sox Nation, listening intently to Red Sox games from a static-filled Connecticut radio station every night of the baseball season. For decades, he watched all four New York teams win World Series after World Series, while the Red Sox always managed to fall short, especially in 1986, when they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by losing the infamous Bill Buckner Game 6 to the New York Mets. However, Sandy’s dedication to the Sox continued, and his loyalty was finally rewarded in 2004 when they made their historic comeback against the hated Yankees in the American League Championship Series and went on to win the World Series for the first time in 86 years. Friends and family sent him flowers and emails and letters of congratulations, and it was wonderful to see him finally experience the joy of victory for the team he loved so much.

Sandy passed away after a hospitalization of over two months on April 9, 2017, 32 years to the day that his mother, Santina, went to heaven as well. In addition to his parents and his wife Fay, he was predeceased by his brother, John Guatelli, in 1982.  He is survived by his sons, Robert Guatelli (Sara), Paul Guatelli (Amy), and Andrew Guatelli (Nancy), his grandson Nicholas Guatelli, his sister Jean Dooner, his nieces, Susan Ward, Janice Dooner Lynch, Debra Guatelli-Steinberg, Geraldine Antonucci, and Mary Antonucci, his nephews John Guatelli, Richard Guatelli, Pat Antonucci, Robert Antonucci, and John Antonucci, his sisters-in-law Rose Guatelli and Margaret Antonucci, and many great-nieces, and great-nephews. Sandy was greatly loved by his entire family, and will be greatly missed. May he rest in the peace of Christ forever.