In Memoriam
The late Barbara Gill, Sandwich Town Archivist until 2016. Photo courtesy of The Sandwich Enterprise
Barbara Luksanen Gill, Town Archivist
Barbara Luksanen Gill was born on November 8, 1932 in Forestdale, the farming portion of Sandwich, to a Sandwich woman, Mabel Fish, with roots traced back to the founder of Sandwich, Edmund Freeman, and to a John Luksanen, whose ancestry was all Finish.
Barbara gained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Simmons College in Boston and worked in the science community of Woods Hole before she settled into the preservation, recording and keeping the family histories of all the founding and early families of Sandwich, which today serves not only our community but that of the greater nation as descendants swarm to our archives all year to learn of their past. What a gift to all of us!
Barbara served as our 2nd Town Archivist for 28 years before retiring in 2016. Her mind was like an accurate computer of all things historic right up to her passing. Barbara’s many other interests included gardening, birding, and the long list of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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The late Russell A. Lovell, Jr., taken at 100 years of age, helped establish
The Sandwich Town Archives
Russell A. Lovell, Jr., Town Archivist
Almost as soon as Russell A. Lovell Jr. arrived in Sandwich he and his wife, Penelope, began the preservation of historic assets for our ancient American town. The Smith-Hoxie House and the Grist Mill had already been restored (1959-60), but there was much to do especially with regard Written word of the history of our Town founded in 1637.
In 1971 he was one of the founders of the Sandwich Historical Commission, which is the local arm of the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
In 1973 He was one of the movers to establish a Town Archive for Sandwich. He thus worked tirelessly not only as our first Archivist, but as the author of Sandwich, A Cape Cod Town, first published in 1984. He held the post as Town Archivist until 1988 when Barbara Luksanen Gill took over for the next 28 years.
Julia Claire "Judy" Hendy
Sandwich born and raised, Julia Claire "Judy" Hendy, was a friend, a member and contributor to FOSTA, sharing her knowledge of the town and it's history.
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Her relationship with FOSTA began when Judy was the assistant town clerk, and attend meetings when the town clerk couldn't.
Judy continued to serve FOSTA after retiring and she created the Barbara Lukansen Gill scholarship which she coordinated each year with Sandwich High School.
Judy kept active with FOSTA until her death in May of 2021, and she will missed by all.
Judy Hendy remained a board member of FOSTA until her death in May 2021.
The Town of Sandwich will forever be grateful for these two wonderful people who gave so much of their time and energy to establish and maintain The Sandwich Town Archives.