Sandra Scoppettone of Southold died Oct. 29, 2026. She was 90 years old.
Born June 1, 1936, in Morristown, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Helen (Gries) and Casimiro Scoppettone and was an only child. She graduated from Columbia High School in South Orange, New Jersey. 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, she won many awards, including the Eugene O’Neill Award in 1972 for her play, “Stuck.” Her young adult book, “Happy Endings Are All Alike” (1978), 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 under the name Jack Early, won the Shamus Award and was nominated for an Edgar. Her work was described by the New York Times as “down-to-the-wire stories, very well written, guaranteed to have you flipping the pages.”
She was predeceased by her first wife, Linda Crawford, in 2022. She is survived by her wife, Elizabeth, of Southold; her cousin, Darius Narizzano of East Hampton; and 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.
