Sandra Renee "Sandy" (Gordon) Gagliano

Sandra Renee "Sandy" Gagliano, née Gordon, of Mt. Lebanon, PA passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 9th, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Esther Gordon. She will be remembered by her husband of 67 years Frank Gagliano, son Francis “Rico” Gagliano, daughter-in-law Corrina Lesser, grandson Elio, her brothers Arnold and Ira Gordon, and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A lover of classical music and opera, she began training as a soprano at her beloved High School of Music and Art in New York City. After becoming the first in her family to earn a degree — from Queens College, New York — she spent years singing in companies around Manhattan, while continuing her training under opera legend Emile Renan.  She later passed her love of music to younger generations, working as a voice coach for child actors on the groundbreaking PBS TV series “Carrascolendas,” and later as a voice instructor from her home in Mt. Lebanon. Congregations at Pittsburgh-area synagogues often heard her work as a roving cantoress. (Other locals might have met her as a tour guide during her years as a docent at the Frick’s Clayton House.)

Sandy fiercely adored her extended family, and loved travelling the world with many of them, including brief stints living in London and Beijing.  Inspired by her mother-in-law Nancy Gagliano, Sandy was an avid cook who spoiled her family with everything from stuffed mushrooms, to a killer prune-braised pot roast, to her signature Thanksgiving game hens.  And over dinner, or at dinner parties, she was always good for an unfiltered comment and a good cackle, especially after a little wine.   

Sandy had no patience for fools, and a blazing sense of righteousness.  But even as her memory faded, she could be moved to tears by the sight of a suffering child on the evening news.  She was beautiful, she was proud, she was vulnerable, she was trouble, and she will be missed. 

Sandy will be cremated, her ashes to be cast in a few places she loved. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art & The Performing Arts: https://alumniandfriends.org/donation/ .

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