Sandra Kay (Vanderzanden) Hoskinson

Beloved naturalist, entrepreneur, mother, grandmother, and friend Sandra Kay Hoskinson-Vanderzanden passed away peacefully and unexpectedly at the age of 66 on March 17, 2025. Sandy was born on April 15, 1958 in Hillsboro, Oregon, the 2nd of 6 children. She grew up in Forest Grove, and though she traveled the country and the world, she was proud to be a native Oregonian. She lived in LaPine most recently, but had been preparing for a move to Florence.

Sandy was a gardener, an advocate, and an environmentalist. She believed in living simply and sustainably. She was chatty and funny. She loved rock music, birds, sunsets, campfires, flowers, beaches, camping, and hikes. She had high expectations of everyone, including herself, and truly believed that the world could become a better place. Her life was filled with ups and downs, and through all of them, she was resilient and resourceful.

Sandy was a creator, artisan, and all around handy-woman. There was nothing she couldn’t manifest with or without help from others, including single-handedly remodeling 3 homes, growing a garden in central Oregon’s harsh weather conditions, and being the sole proprietor and operator of a medical billing business for nearly two decades. She inspired others with her inventiveness and her strength. 

She loved her daughter and grandchildren beyond measure. She loved unconditionally, and also protected her boundaries. She learned over time, like many women do, to stop diminishing herself in order to please others. She was known for being outspoken, opinionated, and unyielding, and on the other side of the same coin, brave, confident, and unbreakable. 

Sandy’s untimely death is a heavy loss for her daughter Sara, son-in-law Tim, and grandchildren Henry and June, as well as her extended family and her chosen family of friends. While she was born the 2nd of 6 children, she preceded all of her siblings in death. She was dearly loved, and will be deeply missed. A celebration of life is being held in her honor on May 10 from 1:00-3:00 at Driftwood Shores Resort and Conference Center located at 88416 1st Ave, Florence, OR 97439. 

Sandy believed in free speech, equal rights, feminism, and appreciating wildlife. She would have wanted to use the opportunity of this obituary to encourage readers to take a stand in her honor against the atrocious and illegal acts of our fascist president. In lieu of flowers, please donate in her honor to the American Civil Liberties Union (https://tinyurl.com/23zy4t28) or the Bird Alliance of Oregon.

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