Sandra “Sandy” Kaplan Coplon

April 17, 1940 - December 2, 2020

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Sandra “Sandy” Kaplan Coplon, 80, loving mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother and aunt, at her home in Portola Valley, after a valiantly fought battle with cancer. She was a fearless woman who was compassionate, strong, and intelligent.

Sandy was born in Liberty, New York to Henry and Dora Kaplan. She graduated from Liberty High School in 1958 and continued on to Alfred University. During a clinical rotation in Syracuse, she met her future husband, Dr. Norman Coplon ( 19372015), and they married in 1961. She graduated from the nursing program with a BSN in 1962 ( pregnant with their first daughter, Bonnie). During a two year stint in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where Norman served in the Army, their second daughter, Deana, was born. The growing family moved to California for Norman to finish his Residency and Fellowship in Nephrology, and they completed their family with a son, Dovid.

After arriving in California, Sandy became very involved in her synagogue ( Kol Emeth in Palo Alto), helping to create a tightlyknit friendship group or “Chavarah”. She spent many hours volunteering - all you had to do was ask for help and she would be there. Always warm and caring, she worked for 18 years as a Stanford Hospital Emergency Department nurse. Many homesick campers will remember her volunteering summers as Camp Arazim’s nurse and instant “camp mom” ( a commitment she expanded and carried on long after her children no longer attended). She finished her career in Stanford’s Employee Health Department.

Always a true partner, Sandy provided immense support to her husband while he established his practice and went on to found Satellite Dialysis. Norman and Sandy created a strong culture at Satellite that prioritized patient care and employee growth, including its many strong female leaders. Sandy’s commitment to Satellite continued through Norman’s decline from Alzheimer’s and extended to her ongoing support of the National Kidney Foundation.

Sandy embraced lifelong friendships with so many; once you became her friend, you were a friend for life. She continued to keep up with childhood friends from Liberty, college friends from Alfred, and friends that she made along her life’s path. With a sense of wanderlust, she traveled the world and always prioritized visits with family and friends wherever she went.

An avid gardener, Sandy amazed guests with fancy salads which often included home- grown flowers. She loved to learn and was always taking classes, mastering many subjects, particularly art history. She expressed her love of reading through her engagement in two book groups, preparing thoroughly for her selections and presentations. Book tapes could be heard on any visit to her home.

Constantly on the go, she loved nothing more than meeting up with friends for lunch, the ballet, or just a movie ( though she often fell fast asleep once the lights dimmed). And even though she kept busy, she always made herself available for her children and grandchildren and would drop everything for them if needed. She made it to as many sports games, performances and birthday parties as she could and developed special relationships with all of her grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Sandy was predeceased by her loving husband, Dr. Norman Coplon, whom she cared for diligently before his passing. She is survived by her children, Bonnie ( Lee), Deana ( Jonathan) and Dovid ( Erika), 13 grandchildren and nine great- grandchildren. Nieces Andee ( Rob) and Suzanne ( Michael) and nephew Peter ( Maureen) became her second set of children and were treated as part of her immediate family.

Sandy’s generosity was legendary. Gifts in her honor are welcome at two of her favorite charities, the National Kidney Foundation ( www. kidney. org) and American Jewish World Service ( ajws. org). Due to COVID- 19 restrictions, the funeral was held on December 3rd at the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma with only immediate family in attendance. Sandy meant so much to so many and received kind words and thoughts from all over the world which were so appreciated! She will be missed.