Dr. Dolores Sands, 88, went to join the Angels and reunite with her beloved husband Art on October 22nd, 2018. Dolores was born and raised in Detroit and became dedicated to education at a young age. She received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Nursing from Wayne State University and ultimately her Ph.D. from Arizona State University. In Detroit, she met and married Art, her husband of 55 years, and raised three children in the suburb of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. The family moved to Paradise Valley, Arizona where Dolores entered the world of higher education and began her remarkable career in nursing research as a professor at Arizona State University. Recruited to University of Texas at Austin to lead nursing research, she conducted major research initiatives funded by the National Institutes of Health and was honored with numerous awards recognizing her significant contributions to advancing nursing education and practice. Ultimately, Dolores was chosen to be the Dean of the College of Nursing at UT Austin, a position she held for 20 years. There she oversaw the education and training of thousands of nurses and contributed to knowledge of many thousands more through her prolific research publication legacy. Upon her retirement in 2009, her distinguished career was honored by being named UT Austin’s first Dean Emeritus.
Always a loving wife, mother and grandmother, Dolores will be deeply missed and is survived by her devoted children, daughters Linda Hannen (Mark), Carol Wilson (Mike), son Arthur (Beth) and nine grandchildren Will, Ellen, Caroline, Jeff, Isabel, Donnie, Lauren, Erin and Lexie.
A Visitation will be held at 9:00 A.M. with Funeral Service at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dolores and Arthur C. Sands Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Nursing, University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, Office of Development (512-471-2628), 1701 Red River, Austin, Texas 78701.
Eileen R Fowles
Hello,
Please accept my thoughts and prayers for the loss of your mother, Delores Sands. Dr. Sands hired me in 2006 as an assistant professor for the School of Nursing at UT-Austin. She created an atmosphere at UT that not only encouraged (demanded!!) faculty to engage in research that had a strong potential to improve lives but did so with respect and collegiality. She was a true leader in nursing and it was a blessing to work at UT under her leadership.
May you find some comfort in knowing that she will be remembered (and missed) by so many.
Norma Stella Peralta
My sincere condolences for your great loss. It is never easy when we lose someone we love but it is especially painful when we lose our mother. Mother’s are so special in so many ways. May your treasured memories bring your family joy and comfort in the months and years to come. And may our Creator’s promise as found at
Revelation 21:3,4 bring your family hope.
Sincerely,
Norma Peralta