Obituaries : Janet Sanders

VINTON – Janet S. Sanders, 82, of Vinton, died Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Visitation will be held 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July, 31, 2011, at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton. Per Janet’s wishes, her body will be cremated and a memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 2, at Wesley United Methodist Church with Pastor Kären Larson officiating. Inurnment will be in Maplewood Cemetery, Vinton.

Janet was born April 8, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Mahan. She was raised in Oak Park, IL, and graduated from Oak Park River Forest Township High School. She attended Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, from 1946 until 1949.

She married Paul Y. Bomar, Jr. and the couple later divorced. On August 18, 1985, Janet was united in marriage with Verle H. Sanders at Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton. She joined the church at that time and had served the church faithfully for the past 26 years. He preceded her in death on September 2, 2008.

Janet worked as a third grade teacher in Fort Madison before starting a private preschool there in 1953. After 13 years at the preschool, she moved to New London, Missouri, where she taught kindergarten. In August of 1964, Janet moved to Vinton. She taught at Vinton Community Schools for 29 years, retiring in 1993. Although she retired, Janet never stopped being a teacher. She volunteered once a week in her granddaughter’s first grade classroom at Harrison Elementary in Cedar Rapids, where all the children called her “Gram.”

Janet was active as a 4-H leader. She was also a Sunday school teacher and Deacon at the Presbyterian Church. She served for 6 years on both the Vinton City Council and the Vinton Community Betterment Committee. Janet was also an active Republican. She was the Secretary of the Benton County Republican Central Committee for 13 years and also served as a precinct person. She volunteered for the Laubach Adult Literacy Program and also tutored several children. She also volunteered at Vinton’s Palace Theater.

Janet was a member of the Vinton Country Club; Chapter HG P.E.O.; the Iowa State Education Association; the National Education Association; the Vinton Education Association, where she was also an officer; the Vinton Women’s Club, where she was named Woman of the Year in 1995; Blue Chips Investment Club; Mentor Club; the Virginia Gay Hospital Foundation Board; the Vinton Unlimited Board; and played the flute and piccolo in the Vinton Community Band.

Janet’s hobbies included playing Bridge and golf, sewing, yard work, traveling, cooking, and following the Vinton girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.

Janet (“Gram”) will be greatly missed by everyone whose life she touched.

Janet is survived by one son, James (Stephanie) Bomar of Vinton; one daughter, Elizabeth (Scott) Tichy of Cedar Rapids; two step-sons: Dwight (Bonnie) Sanders of Vinton and Doyle (Margaret) Sanders of Johnston; one sister, Carrie Laubenheimer of Brookfield, WI; six grandchildren: Amber (Ryan) Harrison, Ashleigh and Aliza Barkdoll and Alivia Clark, all of Cedar Rapids; Brandy Nicole Bomar of Tacoma, WA; and Marilyn Bomar of Vinton; four step-grandchildren: Jason (Angie) Sanders of Vinton; Robin (Mike) Decaire of St. Paul, MN; Betsy (Eric) Sanders Parker of Minneapolis, MN; and Austin McNab of Des Moines, IA; thirteen great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews: Bill, Nancy, Kurt and Ann.

Memorials may be directed to Virginia Gay Hospital or Wesley United Methodist Church, both in Vinton.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Janet and her family. Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.