Louis E. “Sandy” Sage died on Sept. 26, at the age of 84, after a more than 10-year journey with Alzheimer’s.
Sandy was born on April 25, 1940 in Providence, R.I., to Louis A. Sage and Olga J. Sage. Sandy is survived by his wife of 41 years, Honor Fox Sage; a brother, E. Bradley Sage; three children, Kristin, Brian, and Jonathan with his wife, Pam; and three grandchildren, Siena, Keegan, and Celina.
Sandy graduated from the University of Vermont with a master’s in limnology, followed by a Ph.D. in oceanography from Lehigh University. Sandy started his career pursuing his love of the ocean by researching and protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia’s Estuarine Laboratory in Benedict, Md. where he became its director. He then moved with his family to the academy’s headquarters in Philadelphia to spend almost 20 years as director of environmental research.
In 1996, he was able to combine his love of the ocean and New England, when Sandy and Honor moved to Maine where he became the executive director/CEO of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, in West Boothbay Harbor. During Sandy’s nearly 10 years of leadership, Bigelow began its growth from a modest sized laboratory with a staff of 23 and a reputation for excellence in science. Under Sandy’s leadership, the laboratory searched for, fundraised for, and purchased the land in East Boothbay where the Bigelow Laboratory’s campus now resides.
Upon his retirement in 2006, Sandy enjoyed watching Bigelow continue to thrive and grow under subsequent leadership into what is now recognized as one of the foremost oceanographic laboratories worldwide, with over 100 scientists and staff. A great deal of Sandy’s career satisfaction came from the wonderful people he was able to work with and the many lifelong friendships that evolved along the way.
Sandy loved sailing, skiing, hiking, woodworking, mowing the fields with his John Deere tractor around his Alna home, and fixing anything that needed fixing.
He will be deeply missed by his family, research colleagues, and many dear friends who were always ready to join in with Sandy to fix those things that needed fixing.
All of Sandy’s family expresses their deepest thanks to the amazing people at The Vicarage by the Sea where Sandy received the very best care and where Sandy and his family received so much love.
There will be a celebration of Sandy’s life on a date and location to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to Bigelow Laboratory for Oceans Sciences, 60 Bigelow Drive, East Boothbay, ME 04544 or to the environmental organization of your choice.
