Sandra Lee Woods' Obituary
Sandra Lee Woods, better know to her loving grandchildren as Nanny Claus, passed away in her home in Lorain on Wednesday, August 17th, 2016, one day shy of her 72nd birthday and 129 days before her favorite day of all: Christmas. Her spirit is carried on by her husband, Harry Woods; children--David [Debbie], Carolyn Kobasher [Michael], Steven [Nancy], Jason [Cheryl]; 4 surviving siblings (JoAnne, Frances, Josephine, Vera); 10 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and innumerable friends, all of whom would agree that it was her presence, not her presents, that made every day feel like Christmas.
The 7th of 8 children, Sandy was born on August 18th, 1944, to Alphonso and Jennie (Delesandro) Lauricia. She spent her childhood in Jeanette, Pennsylvania and Lorain, Ohio. It was in Lorain, in the 8th grade, that she met the love of her life & her comedic equal, Harry, who was in Nanny’s words, “a slick lookin’ kid”. They married on February 20, 1961 and quickly started their family, which remained the focus of Nanny’s life. Politics, shopping, bowling, Vince Gill, Wheel of Fortune and reruns of All In the Family consistently battled for second place.
Over the years, Nanny taught her friends and family countless lessons: how to be an engaged citizen; how to make chicken paprikash and the perfect grilled cheese; how to ensure you never leave a party before you have a piece of cake…or two (to go); how to move on the dance floor and high five after rolling a strike; how to say “yinz” and “chimbley”. Most importantly, she taught those around her that there are four key ingredients to a happy life: family, charity, dignity, and faith. In the words of Wordsworth, she was “A being breathing thoughtful breath…A perfect woman, nobly planned/To warn, to comfort, and command;/And yet a spirit still, and bright/ With something of an angel light.” She will be truly missed in this realm by her husband, children, and all of those grandchildren & great-grandchildren whom she loved so much: Eric, David, Emily, Devin, Sandra, Melissa, Amanda, Kristina, Griffin, Meyer, Gannon, Michael, Milana, Aurora, Haley, Ashley, Kristy, Nevaeh, and Kobe. As they say goodbye, though, they know that she is healthy and happy once more, reunited with her parents, her lost brother and sisters (Samuel, Marian, Anna), and the many friends she made through the years.
Friends, family, and others whose lives Sandra touched are invited to reminisce, grieve, support each other and, of course, just chat at the Dovin And Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Rd., Amherst, OH 44001 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday August 19, 2016. Closing Prayers will be held on Saturday, August 20th. at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral center followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1305 E. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH 44052. Rev. Fr. Edward Smith will officiate. Interment will follow at Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst Twp.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to one of Sandra’s two favorite charities: The American Cancer Society or Cleveland Clinic Hospice.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com
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