Clara Helen Sanders
July 18, 1923 — February 3, 2016
Clara Helen Sanders, 92, of Aberdeen, passed away Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, February 8, 2016, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 409 2nd Avenue NE, Aberdeen, with Father Mark Axtmann as celebrant.
Burial will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be 2-3 p.m., Sunday, at the mortuary, followed by a liturgical wake service and rosary at 3:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Monday.
Clara Helen (Schaeffer) Sanders was born July 18, 1923, to Frank and Katherine (Biegler) Schaeffer in Aberdeen, SD. She attended rural school before becoming employed at the S & L Store in Aberdeen.
Clara was united in marriage to Orville J. Sanders on October 21, 1946, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen. Their union was blessed with seven children. In 1951, the family moved to the farm and continued farming the land until retiring in 1996. Clara and Orville then moved into Aberdeen. The couple shared over 58 years of marriage before Orville passed away on February 13, 2005. Clara continued to make Aberdeen her home until the time of her death.
Clara's faith was very important to her. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen and found great enjoyment and peace in praying the rosary.
In her spare time, Clara enjoyed crocheting, camping, shopping, and spending time watching her grandchildren.
Blessed to have shared Clara's life are her children: Jim (Sue) Sanders of Sundance, WY, Bob (Fern) Sanders of Aberdeen, Sheila (Ed) Fordham of Groton, SD, Cindy Schwan and fiancAC. Lonnie Styron of Mina, SD, Lois (Jim) Opsahl of Aberdeen, Joan (Jake) Bentz of Aberdeen, and Janet (Doug) Schinkel of Pierre, SD; 14 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Caroline Lacher of Aberdeen and Bertha Starner of Mesa, AZ.
Clara was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orville; seven brothers; one sister; and son-in-law, Dennis Schwan.