Leo I. Sanders 1894-1971

SANDERS, DAVIS, THOMPSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/12/2010 at 21:56:46

Funeral Services Held For Former Rep. Leo I. Sanders

Funeral services for former State Representative Leo Sanders, 76, who died at 7:52 p.m. Friday [March 5, 1971] at Holy Family Hospital, Estherville, were held Monday at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Estherville with the Rev. Robert Karl Miller of the Christian Church of Estherville officiating. Burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Sanders was born March 16, 1894, at Osceola, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther T. Sanders. He received his education in the Des Moines schools and graduated from West High School in Des Moines.

He was married on Aug. 4, 1916, to Sarah Davis, in Newton. The couple lived in Des Moines until 1919, when the moved to Estherville.

Mr. Sanders was engaged in the wholesale ice cream business most of his life.

He was the Mayor of Estherville from 1956 to 1962, and represented the 5th District in the House of Representatives in Iowa for two terms, the last term ending in1970.

He was the Past Exulted Ruler of the Elks Club in Estherville, and a past board member and vice-president of the League of Iowa Municipalities. He was a member of the Christian Church in Estherville, where he served on the church board.

Mr. Sanders is survived by his wife, Sarah; three sons, Robert Sanders, Cincinnati, Ohio; Jack Sanders, Iowa City; and William Sanders, Des Moines; one daughter, Mrs. Robert (Patty) Thompson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one brother, Ralph Sanders, Estherville; and one sister, Mrs. Blanche Davis, Des Moines.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and one brother.

Pallbearers for Mr. Sanders were Dr. John Powers, Daniel Sanderson, C. W. Robinson, Ronald Jacobson, John Myers and Harold Howard. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, March 8, 1971)