Sandra (Downing) Stellos

Sandra (Downing) Stellos, 87, a Nashua resident died after a long illness on Sunday, June 22, 2025 at Langdon Place of Nashua.

Sandi was born in Stonington, Connecticut on December 1, 1937. She was the daughter of Hilda (Schoolcraft) Downing and Harry C. Downing, Jr. She spent her early childhood in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec, Canada and Laconia, NH. She moved to Nashua, NH and shortly after met the love of her life, Jimmy Stellos.

Sandi was the beloved wife of James K. Stellos who died in January 2019. Jimmy and Sandi were married for 58 years. Sandi leaves behind the family she and Jimmy created, three daughters: Cassandra Stellos-Malvers and her husband Dennis Malvers, Melanie Stellos Colorusso and her partner John Hurley and Alyson Stellos-Hartsock and her husband David Hartsock. She also leaves six adored grandchildren: James Colorusso and his wife Emily Davis Colorusso, Michael Colorusso and his partner Meaghan Sullivan, Demetri Malvers, Maxwell Hartsock, Eftihia Malvers and Madeline Hartsock. She was also blessed with a great grandson a few weeks before her passing, Mackenzie Colorusso.

In addition to her parents, Sandi was predeceased by her sisters, Carol (Downing) Hallas and Sharon (Downing) Snell.

Along with Jimmy, Sandi was a volunteer and supporter of many organizations in the Nashua community for more than fifty years. Sandi’s focus was on the groups and clubs that her family enjoyed. She was a girl scout leader, a Sunday School teacher, an advisor to the St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church GOYA youth organization and she never missed attending a school field trip as a chaperone! She was a mom taxi for her girls and any friend she found standing with them. She also served as the snack bar manager for St. Philip’s weekly Bingo gatherings, a philanthropy that bought her joy and may have been what started her love of shopping the aisles of Sam’s Club and BJ’s!

Sandi loved spending her summers at her home on Lake Winnipesaukee. She packed up her girls and pets and moved to the lake at the close of every school year and spent the summer making the season special for her family. She was a skilled boat captain and could be found driving circles around the cove for a long line of neighborhood water skiers. She shared her love of crafts and reading with her girls and made sure to take all three to the local beach for daily swimming lessons. She loved the weekends the most when Jimmy would arrive, after a long week of work in Nashua, to join in the family love of lake life.

She loved traveling and enjoyed trips and cruises with Jimmy and friends to Greece, Spain, Italy, Morrocco, and the Caribbean. She especially loved travel to Aruba every winter for more than 30 years. She loved her weekend trips to Foxwoods where she enjoyed friends, the slots and a good lemon drop martini. She was an avid Red Sox fan and was especially proud that she and Jimmy were Red Sox season ticket holders for more than 50 years.

She was a warm, kind woman with compassion for so many. She was always there for friends and family in their hours of need. She will be remembered as a woman who would drop everything to help anyone.

She was a devoted mother and grandmother. She adored her family and was loved by each of them in equal measure. “Aamie” was always there with advice to share and love to give. Her influence on the family she built will be felt for a lifetime.

Sandi’s family especially want to express their gratitude to those who filled Sandi’s days with love and care: Gloria Heneao, a very special friend for 25 years, whose devotion to Sandi was endless, the many loving caregivers of Visiting Angels of Nashua and the nursing staff of Langdon Place of Nashua. Each of these amazing people assisted Sandi’s family in giving her loving care in the last years of her life. Sandi’s family is grateful to the nurses and caregivers of Amedisys Hospice who provided her with care and comfort in her final days.

She passed from this world surrounded by her family and their love.

Family and friends are invited to Sandi’s visitation on WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 from 9:00 until 10:00 AM at St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church, 500 West Hollis Street, Nashua. Her funeral service will follow in the church at 10:00 AM.

Sandi’s family encourages friends and family to donate, in Sandi’s memory, to one of her favorite organizations: Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance; 3 Crown Street; Nashua, NH 03060.