OBIT-Dorothy Bernice Sanders
Dorothy Bernice Sanders, age 92, stepped into eternity on August 8, 2014, in Edinburg, the date of her wish, which was her wedding anniversary. Dorothy was born February 16, 1922, in San Juan to Garfield Herbert Foster and Lilly Alvina (Frase) Foster, both of Minnesota.
Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, John Homer “Jack” Sanders; four brothers, Willard Howard Foster, Glen Morris Foster, Raymond Wilhelm Foster and David John Foster; and her loving caregiver, Sarah Young.
She leaves behind five children, Patricia Ann (Joe) Barnes, of Three Rivers, Herbert Manning (Julie) Sanders, of Panama City, Florida, Robert Drake Sanders, of Kyle, Thomas Jack (Nancy) Sanders, of Dallas and Cynthia Lynn (Charles) Petri, of Bishop; 14 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
At age eight, after the death of Dorothy’s father, her aunt, Beatrice Drake Frase (Postmistress at the Donna Post Office) from Iowa and her husband, Arthur Frase from Minnesota, raised Dorothy in Donna.
Dorothy was a good student and participated in the Pep Squad, Glee Club, and UIL events before graduating from Donna High School in 1939. Dorothy is a former member of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Donna and the 1st Baptist Church of Alamo.
Dorothy held many jobs in her life. She worked as a registrar at Pan American College in Edinburg, she also worked for three attorneys as a typist/secretary, a department store clerk and as a nurse for Dr. Frenzel and Dr. Westphal. As a homemaker raising five children, Dorothy delighted in rock hunting with her family and co-owned and managed the Sanders Seven Rockshop in Donna along with her husband from 1959 to1967 where they taught silver casting and lapidary to create jewelry. She also taught youth at the First Presbyterian Church of Donna. Dorothy graduated Edinburg Jr. College, but later gained her teaching degree at Pan American University in Edinburg and her Master’s in Education at Texas A&M University in College Station. She taught Earth Science for 10 years in the middle school grades of the PSJA school district. After retirement, Dorothy and her husband, Jack, had a Shaklee and herb business and traveled all over the U.S. in a motor home working for about five summers at Flagg Ranch in Moran, Wyoming.
Dorothy enjoyed nature, especially her roses and gardenias and the many birds that visited her yard. She treasured her constant poodle companion “Pepper”, and enjoyed reading, needlework, oil painting, family genealogy, doing crossword puzzles and poetry.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 15, 2014, at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery on Inspiration Road in Mission. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or to a charity of one’s choice.
Funeral services are under the direction of Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission.
