Darlene Sanders

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Darlene E. Sanders, 70, died Aug. 9, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

She was born Jan. 5, 1945, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Elmo and Evelyn (France) Frease.

Mrs. Sanders graduated from Roosevelt High School in St. Louis and was the first student to enroll at Forest Park Community College, where she received an associate's and bachelor's degree. She received her master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

She was a third-grade teacher for Sikeston Public Schools for many years before retiring and worked as an election judge at the Miner, Missouri, voting precinct for Scott County.

She was a member of Hunter Memorial Presbyterian Church, Circle Five, Phi Delta Kappa, Missouri State Teachers Association and Missouri Retired Teachers.

On March 26, 1961, in Jackson, she married Raymond Sanders; he survives of the home.

Other survivors include three sons and one daughter-in-law, Douglas and Janet Sanders and Dennis Sanders, all of Jackson, and Robert Sanders of Sikeston; one daughter, Rebecca Ressel of Jackson; two sisters, Betty Chasteen of Cape Girardeau and Diane Behlke of St. Louis; seven grandchildren, Heather (Casey) Dodd, Krista (Mike) Taylor, Taylor Sanders, Brianne Sanders, Tyler Sanders, Ryan Sanders and Jace Sanders; four great-grandchildren, Alexis Boyles, Khloe Dodd, Kolton Dodd and Mason Taylor; four nieces; two nephews; three grand-nephews; and two grand-nieces.

In addition to her parents, one grandson, Robert Mathew Sanders, preceded her in death.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hunter Memorial Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. John Goodwin officiating.

Burial will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Memorial donations may be sent to Sikeston Little Theatre, 506 N. Kingshighway, Sikeston, MO, 63801; Burn Recovery Support Group, 11710 Administration Drive #26, St. Louis, MO, 63146; or the Dr. Fletcher Chasteen Scholarship Fund College of Education, 1 University Plaza, MS5500, Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701.