Sandra Janellyn (Bailey) Kendall

Sandra Janellyn Bailey Kendall, pianist, community volunteer, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and longtime resident of Belmont, Massachusetts passed away peacefully, surrounded by her daughters, at her home on Square Pond in Shapleigh, Maine on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at the age of 87.

Sandy was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Clark Kendall of Belmont, Massachusetts. She is survived by her daughters Susan Lee Kendall and her husband John Verderese of Arlington, MA, Deborah Jane Kendall of Belmont, MA and Jane Kendall Murphy and her husband Robert of Sudbury, MA; six grandchildren:  Kenneth Oliver Freiner III and his wife Emily Flint Freiner of Belmont, Clark Kendall Freiner and his wife Abby Wade Freiner of Watertown; John Thomas Murphy of Watertown, Katrina Clare Murphy of Lafayette, CO, Julia Janellyn Murphy of Washington, DC, and Charles Joseph Murphy of Sudbury; two great-grandchildren Clark Kendall Freiner, Jr. and Margaret Kendall Freiner; her brother Herbert Herman Bailey, Jr. of Georgetown, SC and his family; her nephew Scott Hathaway Kendall of Lexington and niece Heidi Lynn Kendall Driscoll of Woburn and Chatham and their families. She was also predeceased by her sister Miranda Rebecca Bailey of South Carolina.

Sandy was born on July 1, 1933 to Clara May Dutton Bailey and Herbert Herman Bailey in Darlington, South Carolina and moved to several Naval bases on the East Coast with her family during World War II. The Bailey family settled in Belmont in 1946 and Sandy graduated from Belmont High School in 1951 and from Boston University’s School for the Arts in 1955 with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. She established the Janellyn School of Pianoforte and gave many Belmont children their first piano lessons.

Sandy dedicated her life to family, her community and to music. She was beloved for her commitment and passion for everything she did but was especially devoted to young singers. She spent countless hours as accompanist par excellence in the Belmont Public Schools. Sandy was an enthusiastic musical director for community theater musicals throughout the Boston area and accompanied and conducted many choral and orchestral ensembles including the Arlington-Belmont Chorale and Philharmonic Society of Arlington. She served the Town of Belmont in many volunteer positions including as a Town Meeting Member, Housing Authority Member, Girl Scout Leader, Belmont Center Business Association member, Past President of Belmont Rotary and the Belmont Woman’s Club. Sandy and her ensemble, Sandy Kendall & Co., entertained thousands of people at gatherings and social events throughout New England for many years. Sandy was also Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church in Belmont, where she played piano and directed the choir until she was 83.

The Kendall family spent many summers in Shapleigh, Maine at Xanadu, their residence on Square Pond. While in Maine Sandy served as President of the Square Pond Improvement Association and, with Clark, co-founded the Square Pond Yacht Club, which sponsored weekly sailboat races for many years. Sandy and Clark were faithful members of the Sanford Rotary Club for many years. Sandy moved to Xanadu permanently in 2016 and enjoyed her final years looking westward over Square Pond and its beautiful sunsets.

Sandy was a wonderful mother, grandmother and very recently became a great-grandmother. She loved nothing better than hosting family Thanksgiving in Maine and Christmas in Belmont. Her New Year’s Eve parties and annual Square Pond beach bashes were legendary. She was a loyal friend to many and was also a generous supporter of community organizations in Belmont and Maine. A memorial service will be held in the future when everyone can attend and sing together safely. 

Those wishing to make a contribution in her memory are encouraged to contribute to the Sandy Kendall Music Scholarship Fund (Town of Belmont Treasurer’s Office, 19 Moore Street, Belmont, MA 02478) or support the Square Pond Improvement Association (www.squarepond.org ) or the Shapleigh Rescue Squad (www.shapleighrescue.com).

Visiting hours will also be held in the Brown & Hickey Funeral Home 36 Trapelo Road Belmont, Massachusetts on Thursday May 20th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Face masks and social distancing is required.

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