Sandra Elaine (Smith) Burdge, 87, passed away Nov. 9, 2023. She was born in Long Branch and resided in Little Silver for 77 years. Sandy graduated Red Bank High School in 1954, married her husband Ed in October 1955 and they raised their four children in Little Silver.
Sandy joined the Little Silver First Aid Squad in 1972, part of the first group of women to join. She served as a Line Officer for many years. Sandy was the captain of the squad in 1978, 1992 and 1993. She was also a member of the Little Silver Ladies Auxiliary from 1971; she was president in 1990 and 1991, as well as vice president and treasurer.
She was an active member of the Mid-Jersey Chapter Tri-Counties Fire Association, a local chapter of The Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America (SPAAMFAA), holding the positions of secretary and treasurer. She was a member of the NJ Fire Museum & Fallen Firefighters Memorial and served on the board of directors for many years, spending much of her free time volunteering for them.
Sandy was predeceased by her husband of nearly 68 years, Albert Edwin Burdge Jr.. She is survived by her sister Karen A. Lundquist and her children, Bonnie Braun and her husband Joseph, Becky DeVore, Albert Burdge III, and Theresa Burdge. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, Tabitha, Lauren, Austin, Michael, Frank, Vanessa, Lena and Iliana and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. A funeral service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Dec. 1 at the funeral home, followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery (Embury United Methodist Church), Little Silver.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made to the NJ Fire Museum & Fallen Firefighters Memorial, 4 Polhemustown Road, Allentown, NJ 08501 or to the Little Silver EMS.
This article originally appeared in the November 23 – 29, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
