Sandra Paessler Carr

     Sandra Paessler Carr passed away peacefully on January 9, 2026[ at her home in Richmond, Virginia. She was 78 years old. Born October 22, 1947, in Richmond, VA, she was the daughter of the late Alfred Henry Paessler and Mildred Binebrink Paessler. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Thomas Peyton Carr, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Karen Lyman and brother-in- law, Rick Lyman, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pat and Rod Layton, two nephews, Cale and Christopher Layton, a niece, Katherine Hofmann, as well as many cousins. She is also survived by her dear, longtime friends Linda Phelps and Helen Harrison, and was lovingly cared for throughout her last months by dear friends, Roger Robertson and Carol and David DiFiori.

     A lifetime resident of Richmond, Sandy received her education from St. Bridget’s Catholic School, Marymount High School, class of 1965, attended Westhampton College at the University of Richmond, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. After college, she went to work at C&P Telephone Co. where she was employed for over 30 years in various positions including engineering, repair service, and marketing throughout the many changes in the company, retiring June, 2000 from Verizon.

     Sandy married Peyton on January 15, 1972. They shared a love of cats, good friends, sailing and the Chesapeake Bay beach life throughout their 50 years together. They were happiest spending time at their beach house in Bavon, VA. They started their married life with two Siamese cats and over the years, expanded the feline family to include many rescues. They adopted an entire feral colony from their beach house, taming them and eventually moving most of them to their home in Richmond where they became pampered indoor "Carr Cats." Over the years, she and Peyton rescued and cared for over 23 cats. One of those cats was Smokey who was diagnosed with renal failure and needed a kidney. On April 11, 1996, Smokey had a successful kidney transplant and the donor, named Buffalo, for the city where the transplant was done, was also given a loving home with them. A few months later she was contacted to write a section about feline kidney transplants for the Feline Renal Failure website, which was created for a cat named Avatar. He and Smokey quickly became internet poster cats appearing in articles, books, newspapers and cat magazines. For several years after that Sandy responded to many appreciative cat owners with information regarding feline transplants. She improved and extended the lives of many cats, and leaves behind her last, beloved rescue, Jack.

     Sandy was a devoted wife, a supportive daughter and sister, a generous friend, and a cat lover extraordinaire. Sandy will be remembered as a strong, brave, creative and generous woman with a wonderful smile, an amazing sense of humor and an infectious laugh.

     There will be a graveside service for Sandy at 12 Noon on Wednesday, January 14th, in the Green Mount Cemetery on Cemetery Road in Hillsboro, MD. In lieu of flowers, Sandy wished for donations to be made to a cat rescue of your choice, cancer research, or Chapters Health Hospice.

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