John Earl Sands, 02 Jul 1929 - 20 Feb 2014

SANDS, TIBBOTTS, HARBACH, SCHNITTJER, ROBBINS, KNIPPER, SCHERBRING

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 2/24/2014 at 17:50:38

JOHN SANDS
Delhi

John E. Sands, 84, passed away suddenly in his home near Delhi on Thursday evening, Feb. 20, 2014. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at St. John's Catholic Church in Delhi, with the Rev. John Kremer officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, Delhi. Friends may call at St. John's Catholic Church from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, with a Scripture service at 7 p.m., and also one hour before the service on Monday. Arrangements are being handled by Clifton-Murdoch Funeral Home in Earlville.

He was born July 2, 1929, the son of Edward and Eva (Tibbotts) Sands in Hopkinton. On Feb. 19, 1949, he married Lela B. Harbach in Cedar Rapids. The couple farmed in the Delhi area before moving to Middle Amana and later returned to the Delhi area. In 1961, they purchased their present farm, the Oak Grove Farm, where they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

Besides farming, John also sold Steckly's Seed Corn and life insurance for Farm Bureau.

He was a member of Farm Bureau. He was a Farmall tractor enthusiast and enjoyed his Model T Ford and Chrysler convertible. His grandchildren were his pride and joy.

Surviving, besides his wife, Lela Sands; are five sons, John (Lois) Sands, David (Sheryl Schnittjer) Sands, Bruce Sands and Mark (Diane) Sands, all of Delhi, and Brian Sands of Dumont; a daughter, Sharon (Chris) Robbins of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Angela Knipper, Amy Sands, Jennifer Scher-bring, Michael Sands, Jeremy and Justin Sands, Brent, Jeffrey, and Natalie Sands, Brooklyn, Kaelyn, Dylan, Ashlyn and Ryan Sands, Caleb and Noah Robbins; and eight great-grandchildren.

John was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ed and Vernon.

Special thanks to Above and Beyond, Mary Hershberger, Kay Nading, Arnold and Sandy Bockenstedt and the Delhi Fire Department and First Responders.

Memorials may be directed to John Sands Memorial Fund.

Please sign the online guest book for John at www.murdochfuneral home.com under obituaries.

Posted: February 23, 2014 in The Gazette