Sandra L. Dillon peacefully entered the kingdom of God on June 23, 2024, with her husband, four children and sister right by her side in The Villages, Florida.
Sandy was born August 3, 1948, in Austintown, OH to Wilbur and Harriet Jones. She is survived by her husband Kenneth Dillon of The Villages, FL, her older brother Jim Jones of Newark, OH and her younger sister Margie Vollenweider of Valdosta, GA.
Sandy was a mother to four children Mark Dillon (Dreama) of Philadelphia, Brett Dillon (Abby) of Columbus, Allison Young (Matt) of Columbus, and Erin Gurtner (Dan) of Columbus.
She was a proud grandmother to 10 grandchildren Brody and Beckett Dillon; Samuel, Anna, Mara, Joseph Dillon; Oliver and Finnegan Young; Jackson and Lincoln Gurtner.
Sandy graduated from Austintown Fitch High School and was a proud member of the Marching Band and the Warren Junior Military Band. She played the Clarinet and performed in the Flag line. Sandy later attended Youngstown State and was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority where she made lifelong friends.
Sandy has been married to the love of her life, Kenneth Dillon, for the past 53 years. They met each other on the campus of Youngstown State University where they both graduated and moved to Cortland, Ohio where they lived for the next 39 years. Sandy later went on to earn her master’s degree in education. In Cortland, Sandy was a charter member of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. In The Villages, she further committed to her faith as a member of Hope Lutheran Church for the past 11 years.
Sandy made her mark on the world in many ways. She was a teacher in her professional career at Seaborn Elementary in Mineral Ridge, Newton Falls Elementary and at numerous schools as a substitute teacher for over 25 years. Her life was not defined by work but by her eternal love for her husband, children, and grandchildren. Sandy rarely missed one of her children’s sporting events while shuttling kids to the many ballfields around Trumbull and Mahoning County, OH. You could always count on seeing her in the stands cheering and supporting her children in their many athletic pursuits.
Sandy and Ken left Ohio in 2013 to live out their retirement dreams in Florida. Her home in Florida was where she enjoyed a community of new and old friends. She was deeply involved in the Art Guild, Fused Glass Club and Quilt Guild. Until her last day on Earth, Sandy said that her Villages home was her favorite place in the world to be.
