Quiet Pillar: The Life and Legacy of Sandra Adelson

Table of Contents

Basic Information

Attribute	Details
Full Name	Sandra Shapiro Adelson
Born	1933
Marital Status	Married c. 1970; Divorced 1988
Spouse	Sheldon Adelson (m. c. 1970–1988)
Children	Mitchell, Gary, Shelley (all adopted)
Public Role	Private family matriarch

Early Life and Marriage

Sandra Shapiro was born in 1933 to a middle-class American family. Massachusetts business and social circles introduced her to Sheldon Adelson in the late 1960s. Sheldon married in 1970, shortly after starting his first Las Vegas businesses. Sandra focused on raising their three children, whom Sheldon adopted in 1973, 1975, and 1977, throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Sandra’s first legal appearance was in 1984, when the couple’s assets and business interests landed them in a joint federal tax case over a $163,000 deduction dispute. The couple divorced in 1988 after 18 years due to their personal and professional pursuits.

Family and Children

Child	Relation	Birth / Key Date	Notable Facts
Mitchell	Son	Adopted 1973; d. 2005	Passed away at age 32; battled substance issues
Gary	Son	Born April 22, 1953	Became a television and film producer
Shelley	Daughter	Adopted 1977	Maintains a private life outside public view

Mitchell Adelson was adopted in 1973 and raised in Las Vegas. In 2005, he died of an overdose at age 32 due to addiction, which greatly influenced the family’s charity efforts.
Garry Adelson, born April 22, 1953, worked in entertainment, producing titles in the 1980s and 1990s.
Adopted in 1977, Shelley Adelson has kept a low profile.

Sandra’s parenting included careful supervision and education. All three children completed secondary education, with Gary achieving his first production credit by 30.

Legal and Financial Matters

Sandra and Sheldon appealed a $163,000 company tax refund to the federal government in 1984. The case involved a disputed bad debt deduction, and the ruling supported their claim. Though Sandra did not pursue public legal jobs, that legal precedent influenced Sheldon’s corporate tax strategy.

After their 1988 divorce, Sandra got a settlement for joint assets acquired over their 18-year marriage. Her net worth is unknown, but the settlement certainly included Massachusetts real estate and family trusts. After her divorce, Sandra kept a low profile and did not disclose her employment or finances.

Extended Family and Legacy

Family Member	Relation	Born / Key Date	Notability
Sheldon Adelson	Ex‑spouse	1933–2021	Founder of Las Vegas Sands; major political donor
Adam Adelson	Stepson (via Miriam)	c. 1986	Racecar driver
Matan Adelson	Stepson (via Miriam)	1999	Stanford graduate; purchased Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. in 2023
Miriam Adelson	Former sister‑in‑law	1954	CEO of Las Vegas Sands; philanthropic leader

The 1984 tax case kept Sandra and Sheldon Adelson (1933–2021) legally connected. Adelson established a casino empire with resorts worth tens of billions.
As CEO of Las Vegas Sands, Miriam Adelson, Sheldon’s second wife (m. 1991), manages the family business and foundation.
Adam Adelson, the eldest child of Miriam, entered professional motorsports in the 2010s.
Matan Adelson, born in 1999, graduated from Stanford University and bought a majority ownership in Hapoel Jerusalem for $20 million in June 2023.

Sandra’s divorce ended her public impact, but her children’s careers and philanthropy founded in addiction and loss continue her legacy.

Philanthropy and Influence

Sheldon and Miriam Adelson promoted addiction treatment and research after Mitchell’s 2005 death and Andrea’s ongoing challenges. Sandra did not publicly lead these projects, but her status as mother to three adopted children—two of whom had substance issues—contributed to the family’s humanitarian story. The Adelson Foundations, with about $143 million in assets by 2012, provide grants for medical research, addiction services, and education in the US and Israel.