Obituary of Blanche Sander

Blanche “Sharon” Marie Sander was born December 22, 1934 at Tuberose, Saskatchewan.  She peacefully passed away October 17, 2024 at the Kyle & District Health Centre in Kyle, Saskatchewan at the age of 89. Sharon was predeceased by her parents John and Margaret “Laudelle” (Noble) Scott, her sisters Francis Mae and Baby Scott, son-in-law Darrell Raymond Zeller and grandsons Jason Anthony and Trent Ryan Zeller.

Sharon attended Leyton School while her dad worked at the Matador Elevator, then due to her dad joining the war effort she attended elementary school in Brandon for a while.   She attended the North Landing School in 1945 at the age of eleven.  Her dad, John, after returning from the war built a new house 4 ½ miles south of Kyle so she attended Kyle School from 1947 until her graduation in 1953. It was around this time that Anthony “Tony” Sander came from Revenue, Saskatchewan to live with his sister Kay, and help his brother-in-law on the farm. They met in February 1953 and were married on December 2, 1954 at the Roman Catholic Church in Kyle.  They stayed on the farm to help take care of Sharon’s mother Laudelle who had MS and to help raise her brother Michael who was 3 at the time.  It was a very busy household, on October 4, 1955 Donelda came along, followed by Linnea on September 14, 1956, Bradley on September 11, 1957, Scott on June 2, 1959, Lorie on August 29, 1960 and lastly Darryl on April 16, 1963.  By this time Michael was spending the school year in Priest River with his dad but returned each summer to stay with them. 

Tony and Sharon were very active on the farm and off.  Dad called square dancing at least twice a week and played in a band on weekends and Sharon always went.  She could sew anything.  She made all her square dancing dresses, and all our special occasion dresses and clothes including a favorite cowboy outfit for Michael and fancy Xmas outfits for the boys. Sharon was an active member of the Royal Purple and belonged to the North Landing Social Club and had her hand in the making of many embroidered quilts with them.  She quilted, sewed, did embroidery, needlepoint, hooked rugs, and knitted many a sweater and baby blanket for her children and many grandchildren.  Sharon did lots of baking and was a great cook and learnt to make dad’s favorite German dishes. Sharon always had a garden and loved her flowers.  She operated various farm machinery, cooked meals, took them to the field while kids slept in the combine or happily played in the truck box. 

In 1969 a cabin at the lake was purchased and an addition put on a few years later. Sharon’s happy place.  They would move out as soon as the water got turned on in May and head back to town in September after the water was shut off.  In 1977 Tony and Sharon moved into Kyle as Brad and Wendy moved onto the family farm.  They began their adventure in the business world selling Liquor, Sears and eventually building a new store and butcher shop, and then later selling Bumper to Bumper products.  By 1979 the house in Kyle was built and ready to move in.  The house was often over flowing at every holiday but there were always enough beds for everyone.  The grandkids loved it when they got to sleep in the closets.  In 2016 they moved to Southview and in June 2022 with the advancement of her Alzheimer’s Sharon entered Long Term Care in the Kyle & District Health Centre.

Sharon will forever be in the hearts of her husband Tony of 69 years, her brother Michael (Jackie) Scott, her six children: Donelda (Garry) Mokelki, Linnea Zeller, Bradley (Wendy) Sander, Scott (Karen) Sander, Lorie (Dan) Seipp, Darryl (Korine) Sander, her 21 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at the Kyle Elk’s Hall on Friday, November 1, 2024 at 2:00 PM followed by a Private Family Internment at Clearwater Cemetery.  Memorial Donations to the Kyle & District Health Centre would be appreciated by the family. (Mail: 208 3 Ave, Kyle, SK S0L 1T0)