Freida "Sandy" Lavon Hosey

Frieda Lavon (Sandy) Sandell was born on July 20, 1932 to Rhoenna Mork in Salt Lake City, Utah. James Roach later married her mother, adopted Lavon, and became her beloved father. She was an only child and was raised by Rhoenna and James in Salt Lake City among many cousins. An outgoing and expressive child, she enjoyed dramas, musicals, and all kinds of singing.

Known in those days as Lavon, she attended Granite High School in south Salt Lake and graduated in 1952. Eager to pursue a dream of singing professionally, Lavon traveled to Seattle by Greyhound bus in 1953. She was focused on her destination, but a young Army serviceman named John Hosey spotted her from across the aisle and did his best to get her attention. He tickled her feet when she dozed, made comments, and otherwise annoyed her until she gave up and consented to have lunch with him one day on their cross-country bus trip.

John was on his way to deploy to Korea via Seattle, and was instantly attracted to the beautiful young woman with waist-length red hair. A lunch together was enough to break the ice, and she agreed to see him again. Lavon had boarded the bus in Salt Lake City, but by the time she arrived in Seattle, she had a new name—Sandy is what John called her, and it was the name she always preferred and used from then on.

John helped her get settled at the YWCA and promised to call on her again before he deployed. Sandy enrolled in the Cornish School of the Arts in Seattle and took private singing lessons. Her instructor arranged for her to sing in solo performances—her stage name was Kay Marlynn. She sang often for the USO in the Seattle area.

At the same time, she and John continued to date when he had leave. Sandy married John David Hosey on June 6, 1955 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Later they were sealed at the Logan temple in 1963. It was a marriage that would last for over 70 years.

And so began their life together as a military couple. They moved every 3-4 years for John’s entire career in the Army, living on two continents and in six states.

While they were in Texas, their first child, John David Jr, was sadly stillborn in 1962. Six months later, still recovering from that loss, Sandy learned of another baby boy who needed a home. They adopted James David (known as David) later in that same year.

Their family continued to grow. While they were stationed in eastern France, Sandy once again learned of a baby available for adoption—this one in Germany. Daughter Katawnna Lee was adopted in 1964. The year 1965 brought the birth of son Adam Leight. And the arrival of daughter Leilani Jean in 1967 completed their family.

Sandy spent many busy years being a homemaker and mother to her four children. She was also a mom to countless servicemen and women during John’s military career—many of them becoming like family. Her children remember Sandy as an excellent hostess; she and John would have large groups of people over for parties and Christmas Open House events.

A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sandy mostly served in callings that were music-related. She sang in ward choirs and directed various church musicals, dance festivals, and Road Shows. Her interests included drama, dancing, painting, and camping. They took their camper all over the United States and parts of Europe—wherever they were posted, they also found places to camp.

Sandy’s interest in painting lasted all her adult life—right up until the end. She specialized in oils, painting landscapes, seascapes, and portraits in the style of the old masters. She enjoyed painting ornaments for all her loved ones each Christmas.

When John retired from the Army, Sandy talked him into settling back in the Pacific NW—where their life together had started. They lived in Bothell, WA for 3 years and then built a house in nearby Woodinville.

After Leilani graduated from high school, Sandy and John became empty nesters and they used some of that time to do even more traveling. Sandy loved traveling to new places and meeting new people. Their travels spanned many places in the US and countries all over the world.

The following years brought both joy and significant loss. Two grandsons arrived, making Sandy a grandmother for the first time. Tragically, son James David passed away in 1990 at the age of 27. Then several more grandchildren arrived in the ensuing years. She was an involved and loving grandmother and also had the blessing of becoming a great-grandmother.

In 2017 Sandy suffered a serious stroke that left her partially paralyzed. John cared for her tenderly from that time until her recent decline. Sandy passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 9, 2025.

She was preceded in death by her two sons, John David Hosey Jr, and James David Hosey. She is survived by her husband John David Hosey; by her children Katawnna (Richard) Clark, Adam (Ludora) Hosey, Leilani (Michael) Leighton; grandchildren Amanda Holman, Andrew and Alec Clark, Ryan, Tyler, Brandon, Aaron, and Emma Hosey, and Patrick and Morgan Leighton; and great-grandchildren Reese, Harper, and Hadley Holman, Timber Hope, and Danica, Adalisa, and Wyatt Leighton.

Services will be held January 9th 2026 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 16500 124th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA at 11am. Viewing will be held at 10am. Sandy will be lady to rest at Floral Hills Cemetery in Lynnwood, WA

Memorial donations may be made to:

Heroes Café, 5115 153rd Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98024 (210-882-0235) Heroes-café.org

St Jude Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 1999, Memphis, TN 38101 stjude.org