SANDBERG, M.D.

JOYCE ARLENE

Pittsburgh - Joyce Arlene Sandberg, M.D., age 99, died on April 27, 2026, at Friendship Village of South Hills. She was born on February 23, 1927, in Barnesboro, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Lionel and Marie Barraclough; and sister to Neal, Harold and Ronald, all of whom predeceased her. Her parents and brothers instilled strong values in her and, as she grew up as a coal-miner's daughter during the Great Depression, she set high bars for herself and had ambitions to become a physician. She was a trailblazer for so many women to come into the medical profession.

She graduated from Barnesboro High School as the Valedictorian of the Class of '45, and a member of the National Honor Society. Her brother, Ronald, helped launch her early career by helping her get a job at the Koppers Company as a Chemical Lab Assistant.

She did her undergraduate work at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown campus, in 1946. She transferred to the Pitt campus in 1948, graduating in 1949. While at Pitt, she applied for and won a position working as a Research Assistant in Virology with Jonas Salk, M.D. They worked together to develop the influenza and Polio vaccines. When proven safe and effective, she helped to roll-out the vaccine across the Pittsburgh area through schools and free clinics, saving millions of lives worldwide. Dr. Salk highly recommended her to the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, (now Drexel University College of Medicine) which she attended in 1953 and 1954, graduating with honors. She was celebrated in the Barnesboro Star as the first "lady doctor" from Barnesboro.

She had a long, rewarding career at Allegheny General Hospital, where she fell in love with Theodore Sandberg, M.D., whom she met at a party for new residents hosted by his parents, Edgar and Marie Sandberg. They married in 1956 and enjoyed 53 years together, until he passed in 2009. They settled in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, and were eager to start a family. They welcomed a daughter, Kristin, in 1961, and a son, Theodore, in 1963. Of all of Joyce's many achievements, she found being a wife and mother to be the most rewarding. She took over Ted's position as Chief of Staff of the Baptist Nursing Home when he was hired as the Corporate Medical Director for Mobay Chemical Corporation. After Ted was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1987, they moved to Friendship Village of the South Hills in 1999, where Joyce remained until her death.

She and Ted purchased a family farm, and the family spent many joy-filled weekends there before Kristin and Teddy went off to school. They raised Black Angus cattle, had several horses and the occasional pig. The whole family enjoyed working on the farm together, with a large and productive orchard, garden, and potato field. Each member of the family had roles to play, and hers was chef and gardener. Joyce did all of the cooking, and the family dinners were all organic, including the Angus beef and a multitude of fruits and vegetables from the gardens. She was particularly renowned for her many delicious, healthy soups, which she shared generously with friends and neighbors, including those at Friendship Village.

Dr. Sandberg was beloved and highly respected by her colleagues and had many grateful patients over her career. She had a strong sense of self and confidence throughout her life and excelled at everything she set out to achieve. She voraciously kept up with the latest medical journals throughout her life right until the end. Patients and friends alike found her to be an extraordinary listener, with a soft, calming voice and manner, and she was never judgmental - a rare virtue - throughout her life.

In her retirement at Friendship Village, she continued her life-long love of learning and explored interests including nature, poetry, writing, world religions, art and playing Bridge. She was widely known for her beautiful hand-made cards and loving prose, which she shared with family, friends, and so many whom she befriended at Friendship Village.

She is survived by her daughter, Kristin Marie Robinson of St. John, VI; granddaughters, Kate Marie Hoffman and Rosemary Jo Robinson, both of Chicago; and brother-in-law, David E. Sandberg of Sewickley; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

The family will celebrate her life privately. If you'd like to honor her memory with a donation, The Children's Home of Pittsburgh was near and dear to her heart.