Our family is both saddened and rejoicing Sandra Tharp was called home. She passed on July 13, 2020, at home after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s. Sandra was loved by so many, humble, caring and put her family first, always.
Sandra Tharp was born Aug. 31, 1934, to Damon and Gertrude Thompson. She grew up in Darlington, a small town she adored and had so many good memories to share about her childhood.
Sandra married her high school sweetheart, Jim Tharp, on Aug. 5, 1956, and started their family. She earned a degree from Purdue University and obtained her first teaching job at Scecina High School teaching home economics in Indianapolis. Sandra’s family, over the course of 12 years, moved six different times living in Indianapolis, Elk Grove, Illinois, Ingomar, Pennsylvania, Auburn, Massachusetttes, Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania, Glenn Ellyn, Illinois, then finally making their last move back home to Darlington in 1976. Not many years later she earned her master’s and became a high school counselor at North Vermillion High School in Cayuga. A couple years later she accepted the counseling position for the North Montgomery Middle Schools and finally for Northridge Middle School where she remained until she retired. To this day her children hear stories of how Sandra helped a student going through a tough time or needed help getting back on the right path. She changed lives by simply loving her students.
Knitting, crochet, weaving, making clothes for her children, making pottery, dried flower arrangements were just a few of her hobbies she took on over the years. She always had several projects going on at the same time and loved the challenge. One of her favorite hobbies was gardening that included growing gourds and dried flowers. She always took great pride in her flower beds until she could not physically do it anymore. Sandra was a pioneer in starting a home business, Barn Loft Antiques, which was a passion for her for many years. It was not uncommon for her to go “antiquing” on a Saturday afternoon. After retirement she worked part-time at Cabbages and Kings in Crawfordsville, a very large antique store and she loved it.
Sandra’s husband Jim, passed in 1985 and she dedicated her life to her four children, Cynthia Simmons, Grant Tharp, Douglas Tharp and Kate Tharp, who all survive. Sandra has 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren spread out all over the United States.
She was preceded in passing by her parents and her brother Tommy Thompson. Sandra also had two cousins she considered her brothers, Dudley and Mike Grey, who have both passed.
Finally, and most importantly, Sandra received Jesus Christ into her heart years ago and will spend an eternity in heaven. There is no doubt she was greeted into heaven by her parents and brother. Her family celebrates this and finds much peace.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Greenlawn Cemetery, Darlington.
Online condolences and memories may be made at www.huntandson.com.
