Obituary: Sandra Elizabeth Hastings, 1940 - 2026

Sandra Elizabeth Hastings, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on June 4^th, 2026, after a sudden illness. She was 85 years old. Sandra was born on June 10, 1940, on Nantucket to Henry & Dorothy (Burns) Fee. She graduated from Nantucket High School in 1958, and on July 15, 1961, she married James (Jim) Hasting Sr whom she met while he was stationed on Nantucket in the Navy.

Sandra started her career working as a bookkeeper at the A& P grocery store where she worked for over 20 years. She enjoyed working with the public and seeing many of her island neighbors on a daily basis. After retiring from the A & P she went on to work in similar roles at The Wannacomet Water Company and then The Nantucket Electric Company. Sandra was a true Nantucketer and like most, worked many jobs at one time. Her favorite second job being her part-time work for her friends at the Jewel of the Isle. Of her many tasks she helped with, re-stringing pearls was a favorite.

Sandra loved her family and loved to cook for her family. Even as adults, her children would receive a call from her saying that she had made them a dish and to stop by and pick it up. Sandra loved music. In recent years you have found her at home with the Classic Country Music Channel blaring while she went about her day. Sandra was the original Band Booster. She volunteered her time for years heading the successful fundraiser selling local candles – each year her house would fill with boxes and bags of candles. She also enjoyed chaperoning both band and school trips with her husband Jim. Sandra loved her home that she and Jim built and where she lived for 60 years. She loved having friends in for coffee, appetizers on the back porch or lunch around her table. She loved sharing her home with her children’s and granddaughter’s friends. She loved all the years of listening to Henry’s band play in the garage and loved hearing Janae’s friends in the living room playing games and watching movies.

Sandra is survived by three of her children, Jimmy Hastings, Henry Hastings and Terry Barada, her granddaughter Janae Hastings, her son-in-law Thomas Barada, her sister-in-law Judy Fee and many nieces, nephews and friends. She will be missed dearly.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Jim, her daughter Melinda Hastings, her daughter-in-law Anne West, her siblings Henry Fee, Jackie Fee, and Dorothy McGarvey, her sisters-in-law Sandra G Fee, Mary Fee, Dorothy Codrey and Julia Peters, and brothers-in-law Francis McGarvey, Robert Hastings and Huff Peters.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Henry W Fee, Jr Memorial Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation for Nantucket.

A graveside service will be held at noon on Wednesday, June 17^th in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Nantucket.