Catherine Della (French) Sanders

Catherine Della Sanders, age 95, of Walnut Hill, Illinois, passed away at 6:53 A.M. on Monday, December 2, 2019, at Fireside House of Centralia in Centralia, Illinois. She was born on March 13, 1924, in Centralia, Illinois, the daughter of William Thomas and Rosella (Miller) French. She married Virgil Oakley Sanders on March 6, 1942 in Walnut Hill, Illinois and he preceded her in death on February 21, 2013.

Mrs. Sanders is survived by her sons, Carl T. Sanders and wife Linda of Walnut Hill, Illinois and Virgil D. Sanders and wife Robyn of Belton, Missouri; daughters, Josia Greathouse and husband James of Lee, Florida and Della D. Iannuzzo and husband Len of Sarasota, Florida; grandchildren, Rodney Greathouse, Jeffrey Greathouse, Stacy Greathouse, Kathy Greathouse, Andrea Fox, Cari Sanders and Rachel Cope; eleven great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Paula French of Austin, Texas and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her loving husband of 70 years, Mrs. Sanders was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, James Greathouse; brothers, Dillard French, Melvin French, Sylvan French and Albert French; sisters-in-law, Cookie French and Evelyn French; sisters, Irene Balch and Ethel Johnson and brothers-in-law, Clarence Balch and Johnny Johnson.

Mrs. Sanders attended Fouts Christian Church in Centralia and was a former member of Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ in Hoyleton, Illinois.  She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Centralia, Illinois.  She was an extremely good cook and baker, who taught her son, Carl, the finer ways of her kitchen.  Mrs. Sanders enjoyed playing cards, playing endless hands of Pinochle, dealing out to two tables.  She loved her flowers and tending to her garden.  In her younger years, she would go fishing until the last light went out for the day.  After her husband’s retirement, she would enjoy travelling with her husband in their RV to visit family at Lake Okeechobee in Florida.  It was said by her family, “she was very kind to everyone and greeted every person she met with a hug.  In her life, she never met a stranger”.

Mrs. Sanders was a housewife and homemaker.  Earlier in life, she was a licensed taxi driver in Centralia, while her husband was away serving his country and a line worker at the Hollywood Brand Candy Company in Centralia.  She lived in Walnut Hill, Illinois since 1989 and previously lived in Hoyleton, Illinois and Centralia, Illinois.

A Memorial Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from 12:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. on Monday, December 9, 2019, at the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home at 134 South Elm Street in Centralia, Illinois.  In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made in Mrs. Sanders’ honor to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri and will be received by the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home in Centralia, Illinois. Please view the online obituary, send condolences or share memories with Mrs. Sanders’ family at www.moranfuneralhome.net or on the funeral home’s Facebook page.

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