Barry Sandman

Barry D. Sandman, of Indianapolis, passed away on June 6, 2024.

Father of Lindsay (Josh) Berg and Loran (Jeff) Ringgenberg of Carmel, IN; former spouse of Sally Sandman of Indianapolis, father-in-law of Jeff Lefevere of Carmel; and beloved Grandpa and Papa of Cooper, Hazel, and Violet.

On September 1, 1948, Barry was born in White Plains, New York. He was preceded in death by his father Leon J. Sandman in 1995, his mother Florance B. (Cummins) in 1983, and his brother, James H. Sandman in 2014.

The Sandmans moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. There, they were active members at Beth Zion Temple, where Barry celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in 1961.

Barry was an avid baseball fan and enthusiast, a love that began as a boy with the Pittsburgh Pirates. When his favorite player, Dick Stuart, was traded to the Boston Red Sox after the 1962 season, so began Barry’s love of his Bosox, which brought him great joy throughout his life. No season was better than 2004 when he witnessed their first World Series win in his lifetime.

In 1967 he graduated from Westmont Hilltop High School in Johnstown. Shortly after, he joined the US Navy and did two tours on the USS Boston in Vietnam. Barry was proud of his military service and appreciated being honored for it.

Following honorable discharge due to injury and inspired by the many entrepreneurs and small-business owners in his extended family, Barry attended business school and launched a career in sales. He worked for many years for Kay Jewelers, which facilitated the family’s move from Pennsylvania to Indiana in 1979.

In 1984 Barry took a leap an founded his longtime business. He was proud of many things, one of which was that he launched a successful and sustaining business without borrowing even a dime. Barry’s business was built on relationships, camaraderie, connections, luck, and a lot of hard work. After years of retail work, Barry’s commitment to being his own manager was deeply rooted in his desire to show up for his kids. And he did.

Barry never missed a chance to drive Lindsay to Chai Notes choir practice at the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, where the family were members for decades. Later, he never missed an ICC performance, swim meet, or a winter guard competition. He coached Loran for many (many) years in Softball. For hours she’d pitch to him in the backyard in Westchester, and he’d announce the Boston batting lineup as Loran pitched: Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Mo Vaughn. As coach or spectator, he never missed a game of Loran’s. Not once.

As grandkids arrived, Barry was there. He never arrived empty handed – always with some art project or game in tow to do with the grandkids. He loved painting and making unusual art with the kids. As their interests bloomed, he made it to every game, recital, and performance he could. He was so happy to have lived to see Cooper play baseball this spring.

Barry was a character. He was one of kind. He loved making people laugh and took great pride in his work. He would always offer help. He loved animals, especially turtles, and even built a pond in his back yard where he could raise and enjoy them.

Barry loved music, and he played it as loud as possible. He loved listening to Loran practice piano and would sit while she practiced and sing along (horribly).

He loved politics and 24-hour news. He loved talking stocks and doing crossword puzzles and embracing his identity as Mr. Sandman. He loved children and loved entertaining them and surprising them with magic tricks. He loved telling stories from his childhood and his time in the service.

Barry received exceptional medical care through the VA hospital in Indianapolis. He was grateful for the compassion and professionalism of the staff, and he trusted nobody more than his providers there.

Services will be held on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Aaron-Ruben-Nelson Mortuary, 11411 N. Michigan Rd. Zionsville, IN. Visitation will be held from 12PM - 2PM, with funeral services to begin at 2PM. Burial to follow at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation Cemetery North.

Memorial donations may be made in Barry’s name to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation or the Indianapolis Humane Society.