Ida Sandler Vogel passed away on June 27, 2025 after a short hospital stay.
She died peacefully at home surrounded by family and her longtime friend and attendant Patsie Coke. Ida had just celebrated her 106th birthday attended by many family members and friends. She said it was her best birthday ever!
Ida was born in New Rochelle, New York and married her high school sweetheart Benjamin Vogel. The couple moved to Hampton, Va where they had two children, Jeffrey and Carol. Ida was a traditional wife and mother but she also worked outside the home as the personal secretary to the original Mercury Seven astronauts (including John Glenn!) in the then new manned NASA space program.
Sadly, in 1965 Ben died and Ida’s life took a far more difficult turn as the mainstay of the family. She moved to Maryland and started a career as an executive secretary with the National Institute of Health, retiring in 1982. Then in 1983 she uprooted to Florida where she helped take care of her grandchildren while their mother Carol attended graduate school. On her graduation, Ida moved to Boca Raton, bought a home and enjoyed her golden years. She travelled extensively at home and abroad attending her grandchildren’s major events. An avid reader, Ida also audited classes at FAU. She also enjoyed movies and theatre. “Aunt Ida” as she was affectionately known to everyone was center stage at countless dinner parties and social events which included family and friends of all ages. She invariably “sang for her supper”, so always welcome.
Throughout her life, Ida maintained warm relationships with many friends and over four generations of family members. She loved people and people loved her. She made young and old feel comfortable in her presence. And she will be missed by all!
Ida is survived by her son Jeffrey Vogel and his wife Christina, daughter Carol Daniel and her husband Darden, as well as four grandchildren: Rebecca and husband Robert Davis; Joshua Vogel and wife Angela; Brooke and husband Dan Preston; Paul Daniel and wife Izumi. and, 6 great-grandchildren: Reese and Will Preston; Jonathan Davis, Persephone and Layla Vogel, and Ken Daniel.
