Sandra Scoppettone

Sandra Scoppettone of Southold passed away on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. She was 90 years old.

Sandra was born on June 1, 1936 in Morristown, N.J. to Helen (née Gries) and Casimiro Scoppettone. She was an only child. She graduated from Columbia High School in South Orange, N.J.

On Dec. 15, 2023 she married Elizabeth Primamore at Southold Town Hall. In her professional career, she was a self-employed literary author. She was a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime National Literary Association, and The Authors Guild. Throughout her life, Sandra has won many awards. For her play, Stuck, she won the Eugene O’Neill Award in 1972. Her young adult book, Happy Endings are All Alike (1978) was one of the first to depict a lesbian relationship and was selected by the American Library Association for its “Best Books for Young Adults” list. Her first crime novel, Creative Kind of Killer (1984), written by “Jack Early,” won the Shamus Award, and was nominated for an Edgar. Her work is described by The New York Times as “down-to-the-wire stories, very well written, guaranteed to have you flipping the pages.”

Predeceased by her first wife Linda Crawford in 2022; Sandra is survived by her wife Elizabeth of Southold; cousin Darius Narizzano of East Hampton, family, and friends.

A private interment will take place at St. Luke in the Fields Episcopal Church in New York City.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is serving the family.

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