Verna Sanders

Verna Sanders passed away on February 4, 2017 at the age of 86 after a brave and strong fight against cancer.

She was born April 25, 1930 in Grazier, Pennsylvania, a coal mining settlement.  She was one of 8 children (Verna, Helen, Margie, Sue, Anne, Mary, John, and Mikey) of Andrew and Suzanna (Prokopovich) Semivan.  Her father and mother immigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s from what became Czechoslovakia.  After the early death of her mother when she was about 6 years old, she moved from Pennsylvania to live with her oldest sister in Detroit, MI.

She lived in Detroit, MI until 1960 when she married Bill Sanders.  Before moving to Grand Rapids, MI in 1967, the couple lived in St. John Woods (Berkley), MI and Ann Arbor, MI.  She received a Bachelor's degree in Education from Grand Valley State University and a Master's degree in Education from University of Michigan.  In Grand Rapids, she was a homemaker, raised two sons, and worked as a school teacher in several public schools for more than 11 years.

After retiring from teaching, she became an antique dealer, with booths in the Lowell area.  She enjoyed traveling the world, visiting China, Europe, New Zealand, Russia, and Australia, and in later years, particularly enjoyed European river cruises.  She also was a dedicated supporter of women’s causes.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, William Joe Sanders, her sons Robert A. and William H. Sanders, their respective wives Echo Hansen and Emily Sanders, four grandchildren Bryden Sanders, Elizabeth Sanders, Macy Sanders, and Zachary Sanders, her sister Susanna DePagter, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, MI at 11 a.m. on Monday February 27.

Memorial gifts in Verna’s name may be given to the Fountain Street Church Choice Fund (http://www.fountainstreet.org/choice-fund) or to the American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html).

She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by all those she left behind.

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