Oct 1, 2024
It was the 1970s, at the height of the women’s liberation movement, with Gloria Steinem at the forefront fighting for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
With two children in high school, and having recently earned her master’s in public administration, 39-year-old Medfield resident Sandra “Sandy” Munsey ran for selectwoman in the highly contested March 28, 1977 town election. With 928 votes that far surpassed the three other candidates running against her, Munsey became the first woman to serve on the Medfield Board of Selectmen – a seat she held until 1980.
She was also a long-time Medfield Historical Society member, who especially enjoyed helping with the annual pantry sale, according to former MHS President David Temple.
After a lifetime of service in numerous other roles, Sandy Goss Munsey passed away on Sept. 3, 2024 at the age of 87.
“My mother loved local government. Her father (Robert Goss) had been a selectman in Rye, New Hampshire, so she had grown up with it,” shared Sandy’s daughter, Carol.
As a Medfield High School student with other priorities, Carol admits she didn’t pay much attention to her mother’s role as a selectwoman, with one exception.
“My mother’s meeting minutes would be hand-delivered to our house by the police. It was probably just a practical thing since the officers were already out and about, but having the police come to our house sure raised a lot of eyebrows with classmates. Plus, my sister and I were latch-key kids who were home alone after school. It always seemed as if the police would arrive when we were doing things we weren’t supposed to!” Carol said with a laugh.
Despite the usual teenage distractions at the time, Carol soaked in the core values her mother held dear throughout her life – whether in town government roles, through paid employment, volunteer work, or as a wife and parent. She made a point of noting that her father (Donald) was very supportive of her mother.
“We were growing up in an era where the message was ‘You can do these things.’ My mother also had a strong sense about fairness, and would point out inequality. She had a high standard for herself in that regard, and she expected those around her to meet that same standard,” said Carol.
She distinctively remembers when her mother applied for a Sears credit card on her own — without her husband as co-signer. Even though her mother was earning more money than her father at the time, she received a rejection letter. Sandy’s husband then applied for the credit card on his own, and was accepted. “My mother sent both letters to Sears. When she called seeking an explanation, all she got was a fumbling reply. In the end, my mother got her own card.”
Carol added that one of the most important lessons her mother taught her was self-sufficiency. “I was scheduled to fly out to Colorado by myself for a college visit, so my mother took me to Logan about a week or so in advance to teach me how to navigate the airport. She wanted to set me up to succeed, and then also expected me to teach others to do the same, which I did. It was confidence-inspiring,” she said.
Outside of her government roles, Carol shared that her mother was engaged in the arts as an avid quilter. Among her creations are mini protest quilts, such as the “Peace Mandala” as shown seeking the end to conflict. Music was also a focus. “Our entire family was musical. My mother played flute and piano, and she was involved with Medfield Music Boosters,” she added.
At a recent Select Board meeting, Chair Eileen Murphy paid tribute to Sandra Munsey. Considering that Murphy is the third woman to serve on the board (after Ann Thompson), it was fitting for her to deliver the tribute, shaped by information provided by Town Historian Richard DeSorgher. Among the civic actions attributed to Sandra Munsey while she served on Board of Selectmen or in her prior role on Planning Board, were these milestones documented by DeSorgher:
- Acquiring land for Noon Hill conservation purposes;
- Helping the town rebound from the Blizzard of ’78;
- Assisting with a downtown beautification project;
- Coordinating with the federal government to obtain flood protection for wetlands along the Charles River from Army Corps of Engineers;
- Helping a large number of residential neighborhoods connect to town sewerage services;
- Being active in the completion of the former police station; and
- Helping to decrease the tax rate from $77 to $73.10 per thousand.
“Sandra brought class and a strong knowledge of the workings of town government to the town, and left Medfield a better place when she left office in 1980 than when she was first elected,” noted DeSorgher, who served as a Parks Commissioner when Sandra Munsey was a selectwoman.