Bonnie S. Sanders
September 15, 1944 - January 30, 2020
In the early morning hours of January 30, 2020, Bonnie Sue (Nelson) Sanders passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia after a hard fought battle and surrounded by her children. Bonnie was born on September 15, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to mother, Alma (Schwartz) Rogers and father, Carl Nelson. She was raised in the city of Chicago among her maternal grandparents and many uncles and aunts. Bonnie’s father, Carl, died in an auto accident when Bonnie was 10 years old. At the age of 14, Alma married Curtis Rogers and in 1958, Alma, Bonnie and her younger sister, Mary, moved to Centralia, Illinois. There, she lived on Leafland Street with her mother, sister Mary, step-father, Curtis, and her step-sisters, Cheryl and Kathy. In August of 1966, Bonnie married her high school sweet heart, Jack Sanders, who precedes her in death.
Bonnie is survived by: daughters Ericka Sanders and Jessica (Sanders) VanDyke and son, Tyler Sanders; grandchildren, Frances Sue Sanders Holzer, Bodhi James Sanders Holzer and Addison Jo Sanders; sisters Mary Beth (Nelson) Jones, Kathy (Rogers) Warren, Cheryl (Rogers) Van Sickle; sons-in-law, Robert Van Dyke and Jamie Holzer; brothers-in-law, Lee Jones, Michael Warren, Dale Van Sickle, and Gary Joe Sanders and wife Janet; sister-in-law, Glenda (Sanders) Melzer; and many treasured nieces and nephews. Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, her parents, Carl Nelson and Alma and Curtis Rogers, an infant daughter, Whitney, and the many dogs, cats and horses that she rescued and loved over the years.
Bonnie graduated from Centralia High School in 1962. She was the managing editor of the school newspaper, an Orphanette, a homecoming attendant, the lead in the high school play, an avid reader and an excellent student. As a young woman in the early 1960’s, Bonnie worked three jobs to put herself through the University of Illinois at Champaign, even having to take a semester off to live with her grandmother in Chicago and earn money working at Chicago Military. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a major in German education and a minor in history. After marrying her husband, Jack, they moved to Macomb, Illinois where Bonnie earned her masters degree in education in 1971 at Western Illinois University. She and Jack moved back to Centralia to start a family because they wanted their children to be close to their grandparents.
Bonnie began her career as a German teacher and guidance counselor at Centralia High School. In 1975, she became an instructor and guidance counselor at Kaskaskia College and later a professor in psychology and counseling. While at Kaskaskia College, Bonnie was the president of the teacher’s union, leading her colleagues during a strike and eventual resolution; vice-president of the Okaw Valley Chapter of the Illinois Guidance and Personal Association; and grant recipient to further develop the “Strong Campbell” interest testing program. Bonnie retired from Kaskaskia College in 2006. Bonnie was also a member of the Centralia Cultural Society Board, a member of the Marion County board, a girl scout leader and room mother.
She was highly intelligent, creative and compassionate, characteristics that she applied in every aspect of her life, from her career to making award winning Halloween costumes. It was not until later in her life that her children ever saw her sit down. She came home every night from a long day of work and prepared a homemade meal. She was known for her cooking, especially her chicken and dumplings, homemade barbeque sauce, salad dressing, and homemade jellies. She was a seamstress, making many of her children’s outfits when they were little, her daughter’s high school dance dresses and, as mentioned, her famous Halloween costumes. She never missed a t-ball or baseball game, track meet or basketball game. She and Jack took in and cared for homeless and mistreated dogs. She spoke often of her and Jack’s “first children,” the Doberman pinchers, (“the dobes”): Copper and Auburn. They traveled the Midwest with Copper (Amel’s Picasso of Marks-Tey) who received a champion designation at major dog show events. In addition to the dogs and cats, Bonnie also helped care for the many Standardbred race horses and a few ponies at the family’s property south of town. She was a prolific writer, authoring many short stories and poems.
She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to make people laugh and feel comfortable and to feed them lots of good food. On a regular basis, people from the community tell her children that they went on to college or pursued a particular career path because Bonnie encouraged them and gave them the confidence to try. She taught her children to be grateful and to recognize that there are less fortunate -- humans and animals -- that they must always strive to help. Her children are grateful, especially to have had a mother like Bonnie. She was the glue that bound and our lives will not be the same without her.
Per Bonnie’s wishes, cremation rites will be accorded, and a Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia. A Private Family Burial will be held at a later date at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. Memorial donations may be made to the Centralia Animal Shelter, the Centralia Humane Society, and Home to School Connection at the Centralia City Schools and will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home and Cremation Services at 235 North Sycamore Street Centralia, Illinois 62801, (618)532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Sanders Family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook Page.
September 15, 1944 - January 30, 2020
In the early morning hours of January 30, 2020, Bonnie Sue (Nelson) Sanders passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia after a hard fought battle and surrounded by her children. Bonnie was born on September 15, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to mother, Alma (Schwartz) Rogers and father, Carl Nelson. She was raised in the city of Chicago among her maternal grandparents and many uncles and aunts. Bonnie’s father, Carl, died in an auto accident when Bonnie was 10 years old. At the age of 14, Alma married Curtis Rogers and in 1958, Alma, Bonnie and her younger sister, Mary, moved to Centralia, Illinois. There, she lived on Leafland Street with her mother, sister Mary, step-father, Curtis, and her step-sisters, Cheryl and Kathy. In August of 1966, Bonnie married her high school sweet heart, Jack Sanders, who precedes her in death.
Bonnie is survived by: daughters Ericka Sanders and Jessica (Sanders) VanDyke and son, Tyler Sanders; grandchildren, Frances Sue Sanders Holzer, Bodhi James Sanders Holzer and Addison Jo Sanders; sisters Mary Beth (Nelson) Jones, Kathy (Rogers) Warren, Cheryl (Rogers) Van Sickle; sons-in-law, Robert Van Dyke and Jamie Holzer; brothers-in-law, Lee Jones, Michael Warren, Dale Van Sickle, and Gary Joe Sanders and wife Janet; sister-in-law, Glenda (Sanders) Melzer; and many treasured nieces and nephews. Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, her parents, Carl Nelson and Alma and Curtis Rogers, an infant daughter, Whitney, and the many dogs, cats and horses that she rescued and loved over the years.
Bonnie graduated from Centralia High School in 1962. She was the managing editor of the school newspaper, an Orphanette, a homecoming attendant, the lead in the high school play, an avid reader and an excellent student. As a young woman in the early 1960’s, Bonnie worked three jobs to put herself through the University of Illinois at Champaign, even having to take a semester off to live with her grandmother in Chicago and earn money working at Chicago Military. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a major in German education and a minor in history. After marrying her husband, Jack, they moved to Macomb, Illinois where Bonnie earned her masters degree in education in 1971 at Western Illinois University. She and Jack moved back to Centralia to start a family because they wanted their children to be close to their grandparents.
Bonnie began her career as a German teacher and guidance counselor at Centralia High School. In 1975, she became an instructor and guidance counselor at Kaskaskia College and later a professor in psychology and counseling. While at Kaskaskia College, Bonnie was the president of the teacher’s union, leading her colleagues during a strike and eventual resolution; vice-president of the Okaw Valley Chapter of the Illinois Guidance and Personal Association; and grant recipient to further develop the “Strong Campbell” interest testing program. Bonnie retired from Kaskaskia College in 2006. Bonnie was also a member of the Centralia Cultural Society Board, a member of the Marion County board, a girl scout leader and room mother.
She was highly intelligent, creative and compassionate, characteristics that she applied in every aspect of her life, from her career to making award winning Halloween costumes. It was not until later in her life that her children ever saw her sit down. She came home every night from a long day of work and prepared a homemade meal. She was known for her cooking, especially her chicken and dumplings, homemade barbeque sauce, salad dressing, and homemade jellies. She was a seamstress, making many of her children’s outfits when they were little, her daughter’s high school dance dresses and, as mentioned, her famous Halloween costumes. She never missed a t-ball or baseball game, track meet or basketball game. She and Jack took in and cared for homeless and mistreated dogs. She spoke often of her and Jack’s “first children,” the Doberman pinchers, (“the dobes”): Copper and Auburn. They traveled the Midwest with Copper (Amel’s Picasso of Marks-Tey) who received a champion designation at major dog show events. In addition to the dogs and cats, Bonnie also helped care for the many Standardbred race horses and a few ponies at the family’s property south of town. She was a prolific writer, authoring many short stories and poems.
She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to make people laugh and feel comfortable and to feed them lots of good food. On a regular basis, people from the community tell her children that they went on to college or pursued a particular career path because Bonnie encouraged them and gave them the confidence to try. She taught her children to be grateful and to recognize that there are less fortunate -- humans and animals -- that they must always strive to help. Her children are grateful, especially to have had a mother like Bonnie. She was the glue that bound and our lives will not be the same without her.
Per Bonnie’s wishes, cremation rites will be accorded, and a Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia. A Private Family Burial will be held at a later date at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. Memorial donations may be made to the Centralia Animal Shelter, the Centralia Humane Society, and Home to School Connection at the Centralia City Schools and will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home and Cremation Services at 235 North Sycamore Street Centralia, Illinois 62801, (618)532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Sanders Family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook Page.
Bonnie S. Sanders
September 15, 1944 - January 30, 2020
In the early morning hours of January 30, 2020, Bonnie Sue (Nelson) Sanders passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia after a hard fought battle and surrounded by her children. Bonnie was born on September 15, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to mother, Alma (Schwartz) Rogers and father, Carl Nelson. She was raised in the city of Chicago among her maternal grandparents and many uncles and aunts. Bonnie’s father, Carl, died in an auto accident when Bonnie was 10 years old. At the age of 14, Alma married Curtis Rogers and in 1958, Alma, Bonnie and her younger sister, Mary, moved to Centralia, Illinois. There, she lived on Leafland Street with her mother, sister Mary, step-father, Curtis, and her step-sisters, Cheryl and Kathy. In August of 1966, Bonnie married her high school sweet heart, Jack Sanders, who precedes her in death.
Bonnie is survived by: daughters Ericka Sanders and Jessica (Sanders) VanDyke and son, Tyler Sanders; grandchildren, Frances Sue Sanders Holzer, Bodhi James Sanders Holzer and Addison Jo Sanders; sisters Mary Beth (Nelson) Jones, Kathy (Rogers) Warren, Cheryl (Rogers) Van Sickle; sons-in-law, Robert Van Dyke and Jamie Holzer; brothers-in-law, Lee Jones, Michael Warren, Dale Van Sickle, and Gary Joe Sanders and wife Janet; sister-in-law, Glenda (Sanders) Melzer; and many treasured nieces and nephews. Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, her parents, Carl Nelson and Alma and Curtis Rogers, an infant daughter, Whitney, and the many dogs, cats and horses that she rescued and loved over the years.
Bonnie graduated from Centralia High School in 1962. She was the managing editor of the school newspaper, an Orphanette, a homecoming attendant, the lead in the high school play, an avid reader and an excellent student. As a young woman in the early 1960’s, Bonnie worked three jobs to put herself through the University of Illinois at Champaign, even having to take a semester off to live with her grandmother in Chicago and earn money working at Chicago Military. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a major in German education and a minor in history. After marrying her husband, Jack, they moved to Macomb, Illinois where Bonnie earned her masters degree in education in 1971 at Western Illinois University. She and Jack moved back to Centralia to start a family because they wanted their children to be close to their grandparents.
Bonnie began her career as a German teacher and guidance counselor at Centralia High School. In 1975, she became an instructor and guidance counselor at Kaskaskia College and later a professor in psychology and counseling. While at Kaskaskia College, Bonnie was the president of the teacher’s union, leading her colleagues during a strike and eventual resolution; vice-president of the Okaw Valley Chapter of the Illinois Guidance and Personal Association; and grant recipient to further develop the “Strong Campbell” interest testing program. Bonnie retired from Kaskaskia College in 2006. Bonnie was also a member of the Centralia Cultural Society Board, a member of the Marion County board, a girl scout leader and room mother.
She was highly intelligent, creative and compassionate, characteristics that she applied in every aspect of her life, from her career to making award winning Halloween costumes. It was not until later in her life that her children ever saw her sit down. She came home every night from a long day of work and prepared a homemade meal. She was known for her cooking, especially her chicken and dumplings, homemade barbeque sauce, salad dressing, and homemade jellies. She was a seamstress, making many of her children’s outfits when they were little, her daughter’s high school dance dresses and, as mentioned, her famous Halloween costumes. She never missed a t-ball or baseball game, track meet or basketball game. She and Jack took in and cared for homeless and mistreated dogs. She spoke often of her and Jack’s “first children,” the Doberman pinchers, (“the dobes”): Copper and Auburn. They traveled the Midwest with Copper (Amel’s Picasso of Marks-Tey) who received a champion designation at major dog show events. In addition to the dogs and cats, Bonnie also helped care for the many Standardbred race horses and a few ponies at the family’s property south of town. She was a prolific writer, authoring many short stories and poems.
She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to make people laugh and feel comfortable and to feed them lots of good food. On a regular basis, people from the community tell her children that they went on to college or pursued a particular career path because Bonnie encouraged them and gave them the confidence to try. She taught her children to be grateful and to recognize that there are less fortunate -- humans and animals -- that they must always strive to help. Her children are grateful, especially to have had a mother like Bonnie. She was the glue that bound and our lives will not be the same without her.
Per Bonnie’s wishes, cremation rites will be accorded, and a Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia. A Private Family Burial will be held at a later date at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. Memorial donations may be made to the Centralia Animal Shelter, the Centralia Humane Society, and Home to School Connection at the Centralia City Schools and will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home and Cremation Services at 235 North Sycamore Street Centralia, Illinois 62801, (618)532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Sanders Family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook Page.
September 15, 1944 - January 30, 2020
In the early morning hours of January 30, 2020, Bonnie Sue (Nelson) Sanders passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia after a hard fought battle and surrounded by her children. Bonnie was born on September 15, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to mother, Alma (Schwartz) Rogers and father, Carl Nelson. She was raised in the city of Chicago among her maternal grandparents and many uncles and aunts. Bonnie’s father, Carl, died in an auto accident when Bonnie was 10 years old. At the age of 14, Alma married Curtis Rogers and in 1958, Alma, Bonnie and her younger sister, Mary, moved to Centralia, Illinois. There, she lived on Leafland Street with her mother, sister Mary, step-father, Curtis, and her step-sisters, Cheryl and Kathy. In August of 1966, Bonnie married her high school sweet heart, Jack Sanders, who precedes her in death.
Bonnie is survived by: daughters Ericka Sanders and Jessica (Sanders) VanDyke and son, Tyler Sanders; grandchildren, Frances Sue Sanders Holzer, Bodhi James Sanders Holzer and Addison Jo Sanders; sisters Mary Beth (Nelson) Jones, Kathy (Rogers) Warren, Cheryl (Rogers) Van Sickle; sons-in-law, Robert Van Dyke and Jamie Holzer; brothers-in-law, Lee Jones, Michael Warren, Dale Van Sickle, and Gary Joe Sanders and wife Janet; sister-in-law, Glenda (Sanders) Melzer; and many treasured nieces and nephews. Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, her parents, Carl Nelson and Alma and Curtis Rogers, an infant daughter, Whitney, and the many dogs, cats and horses that she rescued and loved over the years.
Bonnie graduated from Centralia High School in 1962. She was the managing editor of the school newspaper, an Orphanette, a homecoming attendant, the lead in the high school play, an avid reader and an excellent student. As a young woman in the early 1960’s, Bonnie worked three jobs to put herself through the University of Illinois at Champaign, even having to take a semester off to live with her grandmother in Chicago and earn money working at Chicago Military. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a major in German education and a minor in history. After marrying her husband, Jack, they moved to Macomb, Illinois where Bonnie earned her masters degree in education in 1971 at Western Illinois University. She and Jack moved back to Centralia to start a family because they wanted their children to be close to their grandparents.
Bonnie began her career as a German teacher and guidance counselor at Centralia High School. In 1975, she became an instructor and guidance counselor at Kaskaskia College and later a professor in psychology and counseling. While at Kaskaskia College, Bonnie was the president of the teacher’s union, leading her colleagues during a strike and eventual resolution; vice-president of the Okaw Valley Chapter of the Illinois Guidance and Personal Association; and grant recipient to further develop the “Strong Campbell” interest testing program. Bonnie retired from Kaskaskia College in 2006. Bonnie was also a member of the Centralia Cultural Society Board, a member of the Marion County board, a girl scout leader and room mother.
She was highly intelligent, creative and compassionate, characteristics that she applied in every aspect of her life, from her career to making award winning Halloween costumes. It was not until later in her life that her children ever saw her sit down. She came home every night from a long day of work and prepared a homemade meal. She was known for her cooking, especially her chicken and dumplings, homemade barbeque sauce, salad dressing, and homemade jellies. She was a seamstress, making many of her children’s outfits when they were little, her daughter’s high school dance dresses and, as mentioned, her famous Halloween costumes. She never missed a t-ball or baseball game, track meet or basketball game. She and Jack took in and cared for homeless and mistreated dogs. She spoke often of her and Jack’s “first children,” the Doberman pinchers, (“the dobes”): Copper and Auburn. They traveled the Midwest with Copper (Amel’s Picasso of Marks-Tey) who received a champion designation at major dog show events. In addition to the dogs and cats, Bonnie also helped care for the many Standardbred race horses and a few ponies at the family’s property south of town. She was a prolific writer, authoring many short stories and poems.
She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to make people laugh and feel comfortable and to feed them lots of good food. On a regular basis, people from the community tell her children that they went on to college or pursued a particular career path because Bonnie encouraged them and gave them the confidence to try. She taught her children to be grateful and to recognize that there are less fortunate -- humans and animals -- that they must always strive to help. Her children are grateful, especially to have had a mother like Bonnie. She was the glue that bound and our lives will not be the same without her.
Per Bonnie’s wishes, cremation rites will be accorded, and a Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia. A Private Family Burial will be held at a later date at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. Memorial donations may be made to the Centralia Animal Shelter, the Centralia Humane Society, and Home to School Connection at the Centralia City Schools and will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home and Cremation Services at 235 North Sycamore Street Centralia, Illinois 62801, (618)532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Sanders Family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook Page.
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