Delores E. Moyer-Sands-Miley

Delores E Moyer-Sands-Miley gave up the ghost on January 3, 2021 due to heart failure. She was born one of six children to the late Harry Phillip and Hazel Leone Kirkbride Moyer on April 3, 1931 in Zanesville, Ohio.


She was proud that she got her artistic talent and painting ability from her father Harry P. Moyer who made pottery molds for LePere and Shawnee Potteries in Zanesville before opening his own pottery shop "Moyer Pottery" and was very successful on his own.

As a teenager, Dee played guitar and sang in the family band performing at social functions and on the radio. Dee graduated from Lash HS in Zanesville, Ohio.

She was the mother of her seven children with the late Mark R. Sands Sr. If there was a contest for what mother loved her children most, Dee would have been at the top of the list. She loved spending time with and talking with her children. She was easy to confide in and always gave good advice. Even as adults, we all went to Mom as she would take care of us. She was always available and willing to help. She was more than a mother; she was our best friend.

She lovingly raised her children then pursued her dreams of a career. She had opportunity to become an EMT with the Fort Morrow Fire Department and found her calling. She then went to TriRivers School of practical nursing and earned her LPN license in 1983. Her love was emergency care, so she then graduated from Marion General Hospital School of Paramedicine in 1984 at the age of 53. She loved anything medical and being able to help people.

She worked as a volunteer with Fort Morrow Fire Department and 13 years with Delaware County Emergency Medical Services. She also worked as an LPN at a nursing home in Galion Ohio and did some in home private duty care. If not for her age she would have still been working on the ambulances as she loved it.

Dee loved anything in nature, feeding birds, raising flowers and growing buckeye trees from seed. Her thumbs were truly green and she could grow anything. She was fan of OSU football and enjoyed the Cowboys and Bengals. She hand painted her kids black and white baby photos so well, you would think they used colored film. Dee loved puzzles; she would reach in the box, pick a piece and put the puzzle together without doing the border first or looking at the picture. She loved the challenge. Most of all she loved her children and grandchildren.

One of Dee’s proudest moments was when she went bear hunting in Canada and shot a bear.

Left to miss her are her daughters, Yvonne (Ron) Emerson, Diane Sauder and daughter-in-law Susan Sands-West, sons Mark Sands Jr., Tony (Alice) Sands and John (Michelle) Sands. Nineteen grandchildren, thirty eight great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren and one on the way. There are multiple nieces and nephews, 3 stepsons and long time family friend Clifford Miley.

Meeting her at Heaven's gate will be her daughter Darla Jean Sands, son Michael Phillip Sands and her best friend Phyllis Lee. Also preceding her in death is husband Ralph Leo Miley and daughter in law Rebecca Horne.

If there ever comes a day where we can't be together, keep me in your heart. I'll stay there forever. (Winnie the Pooh)

Funeral services will be held on Thursday January 7, 2021 at 4:00 pm in the Waldo United Methodist Church, 141 S. Marion St., with Mike Fogle officiating and burial to take place at a later date in Waldo Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 pm until the time of the service. Services will also be facebook live streamed at Waldo United Methodist Church, Waldo, OH. The family suggests memorials be made to the Ft. Morrow Fire Department or the Waldo United Methodist Church and expressions of sympathy can be left at www.cremationservicesofohio.com