Sanders, James Richard 1916-2001

SANDERS, WRIGHT, BARNS, CLARK

Posted By: Marilyn Norris Holmes
Date: 9/14/2014 at 17:04:35

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
April 23, 2001

JAMES R. SANDERS

James Richard Sanders, 85, a resident of Grinnell for most of his life, died of an intestinal blood clot Monday, April 16, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services were conducted Thursday, April 19, at the Smith Funeral Home, with burial in Hickory Grove Cemetery near Newburg.

Born April 16, 1916, on a farm near Montezuma, he was the son of James Franklin and Gertrude Wright Sanders.

Mr. Sanders graduated from Grinnell High School in 1933. He then worked in the dairy business for a number of years. In 1935, he worked for Lou Terpstra. That dairy was sold, and he then worked at a dairy in Mission Valley near San Diego, Calif. Returning to Grinnell in 1939, he worked for the Swaney dairy and began learning the construction business from Grant Inman.

On Nov. 30, 1941, he was married to Rachel Barns at her parents' home in Grinnell. In May 1942, he entered the service, serving as a carpenter with the Tenth U.S. Navy Construction Battalion (Seabees). From October 1942 to September 1943, he saw duty on Johnston Island in the Pacific. His military honors included the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon.

In 1945, Mr. Sander was honorably discharged from the service. He returned to Grinnell where he worked briefly for Verlin Atkins' dairy. From 1946 to 1949, he worked for Weitz Construction Co., then started his own construction company. Over the course of his career he built many homes in Grinnell. In his later years, he specialized in remodeling projects, especially older houses.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Grinnell, the Rotary Club and the Grinnell Elks Lodge. He also served for a time as Fourth Ward Democratic committeeman.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel of Grinnell; one daughter, Jean Sanders of Cedar Rapids; and one son, James of Falls Church, Va. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Maxine Clark; and one brother, Robert.

Transcriber Note: Dick Sanders built my parents' home, 510 Main St., in Grinnell, in 1963. His daughter, Jean Sanders was in my high school class.