Sander Groenen

Sander Groenen passed away on January 14, 2025 at the age of 50 after a hard-fought and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer since mid-2023. He was the loving husband of Deirdre; the loving father of Thais and stepfather of Caio; the beloved son of Piet and Ria; the loved nephew and cousin to aunts, uncles and cousins in the Netherlands, Sander’s country of birth. Sander will also be greatly missed by many close friends in the U.S., the Netherlands and Brazil, in each of which he spent many happy years living.

Sander was born and raised in the Netherlands. After college, Sander lived in Brazil for many years, where he initially raised Thais and Caio and had some of the happiest times of his life with family and friends. Sander moved to the U.S. in 2007 and became a U.S. citizen in 2019, while also maintaining his Dutch citizenship. While Sander was never a citizen of Brazil, it remained a beloved culture for him and he maintained close ties with his Brazilian friends, both in the U.S. and Brazil. Sander famously spoke many languages fluently including Dutch, Portugese and English and it made him the best travel buddy and tour guide, and he was never afraid to try other languages to connect with the locals. 

Whether it was celebrating at parties on the rooftop with Deirdre and friends, enjoying the Poconos or traveling the world, Sander was at his happiest when he was with Deirdre, family and friends enjoying life. He spread positivity, a love of life and joy wherever he went. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Family and friends are invited to Sander’s Celebration of Life on Friday, January 24th at Brauhaus Schmitz at 718 South Street, Philadelphia. There will be a visitation (in lieu of a viewing) from 10-12 pm, followed by a service, luncheon and open mic. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sander Strong Foundation (more details to follow).