Viola Sanders

Viola Gladys Venske was born on February 14, 1925 in Lester Prairie, MN, to the late Gustav and Elizabeth (Karls) Venske. The family moved to Randall, MN, where Viola grew up. She was united in marriage to Eldon D. Sanders on December 25, 1943, and the couple made their home in Little Falls, where they raised their six children. In 1961, they moved to Stillwater, MN, and then relocated to California in 1965. During their retirement years, they would spend their summers in the Randall area and their winters in Apache Junction, AZ. Due to declining health, they returned to Stillwater, where they remained. Eldon passed away in 2005 after 62 years of marriage. Viola worked for many years as a cook at Linden Care Center in Stillwater, and also helped out her husband with their security service business in California. Viola enjoyed sewing, crafts, reading, poetry, and especially Native American history. She loved traveling with her husband and family, taking many trips with her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ivan and Dorothy Sanders. Viola was an excellent cook, yet also enjoyed going “out for coffee”. Her joy was her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Stillwater, and a lifetime member of Randall V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary. Viola will be greatly missed by her sons, Jerald E. (Shirley) Sanders of Champlin, MN, and Eldon Bradley (Judith) Sanders of Deer Park, WI; daughters, Connie (John) Kogler of Stillwater, MN, Denae (Robert) Samler of Casa Grande, AZ, Allison (Lawrence) Munch of Stillwater, MN, and Michelle (James) Robinson of Cushing, MN; brothers, Marvin (Pat) and Melford Venske; sisters, Donna (Lee) Hain, and Betty (John) Peterson; sister-in-law, Rita (Curt) Venske; 24 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eldon; brothers, Virgil, Myron, Curtis, and Vernon Venske; sisters, Elvira Petrich, Doris Anderson, and Ila Woodworth. Casketbearers will be Paul Sanders, Craig Kogler, Mike Sanders, Tonya Samler, Eric Hostetter, and Kari Robinson.

Tributes

Viola Sanders

February 14, 1925 - May 16, 2010