Official Obituary of
Dorothy May (Quale) Sanders
May 25, 1929 ~ December 15, 2020 (age 91) 91 Years Old
Dorothy Sanders Obituary
Dorothy M. (Quale) Sanders passed away peacefully on December 15, 2020. Dorothy was born the youngest of eight children in Chippewa County, Town of Wheaton, Wisconsin to Charles and Ella (Joyce) Quale. She resided there all her life. Dorothy attended Sunny Valley School (the school now sits in Irvine Park, Chippewa Falls, WI as a museum) and Chippewa Falls Senior High School, graduating in 1947.
Dorothy met the love of her life, Melvin Sanders, in downtown Eau Claire, WI. Dorothy and Melvin married December 24, 1949. They were blessed with two daughters, Carolyn (Larry) Small of Elk Mound, Linda (Lee) Helberg of Eau Claire, one son, Dean, six grandchildren: Marc (Gail) Small, Trevor (Sheila) Small, Justin (Kristin) Small, Becky (John) Kevern, Sierra (Jake Wickham) Sanders, Shane (Adriana Hoffman) Sanders, five great-grandchildren: Savannah, Bailey, Kylie, Connor, and Jay.
Dorothy was a stay-at-home wife and mother tending the 40 acre hobby farm that she and Melvin moved to in 1954. Dorothy kept their yard immaculate. Her kids teased that she “lived to mow grass!” (There will be no long grass in heaven, that’s for sure.) She started working at the first Menard’s store when son, Dean, was 5 years old. She worked there for 13 years followed by Big Bear hardware, then Tupperware Distribution Warehouse until retiring.
Dorothy enjoyed many years of bowling on a women’s league and a couple’s league with Melvin. She was an avid sports fan, especially baseball. Her favorite teams were the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, and Milwaukee Brewers. Dorothy was also a Green Bay Packers football fan and rarely missed watching a game. Dorothy and Melvin attended most of the events their kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids were involved in as long as they were able. Together Dorothy and Melvin enjoyed many trips all across the United States and parts of Canada on their matching Honda Goldwing touring motorcycles.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, Theresa Johnson, grandchildren and their spouses/significant others, great-grandchildren, and one sister-in-law, Dorothy Bridgeforth, many nieces and nephews, all of whom were always very special in her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin, in March 2020, their son, Dean in February 2013, parents, siblings and their spouses: Evelyn (Selmer) Larson, Charles, Jr. (Louise) Quale, Alvin (Dorothy) Quale, Douglas (Marion) Quale, Merle (Grace) Quale, Ellen Harsh, Geraldine Running. She is also preceded by Melvin’s sisters and brothers and their spouses.
The family is forever grateful for the superb care Mom (and Dad) received at Comforts of Home Memory Care for nearly two years and Comforts of Home Assisted Living both in Menomonie, WI. We wish to express our gratitude also to Mayo Hospice Team for their assistance these past few weeks.
Acknowledging that we are still in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic, a family service will be held. A celebration of life may be held at a later date. Inurnment will be in Rest Haven Gardens alongside her husband and son. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association, 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 400, McLean, VA 22102, Comforts of Home Memory Care, 2211 White Pine Lane, Menomonie, WI 54751, or feel free to direct a memorial to a charity/organization of your choice in Dorothy’s name.
Dorothy met the love of her life, Melvin Sanders, in downtown Eau Claire, WI. Dorothy and Melvin married December 24, 1949. They were blessed with two daughters, Carolyn (Larry) Small of Elk Mound, Linda (Lee) Helberg of Eau Claire, one son, Dean, six grandchildren: Marc (Gail) Small, Trevor (Sheila) Small, Justin (Kristin) Small, Becky (John) Kevern, Sierra (Jake Wickham) Sanders, Shane (Adriana Hoffman) Sanders, five great-grandchildren: Savannah, Bailey, Kylie, Connor, and Jay.
Dorothy was a stay-at-home wife and mother tending the 40 acre hobby farm that she and Melvin moved to in 1954. Dorothy kept their yard immaculate. Her kids teased that she “lived to mow grass!” (There will be no long grass in heaven, that’s for sure.) She started working at the first Menard’s store when son, Dean, was 5 years old. She worked there for 13 years followed by Big Bear hardware, then Tupperware Distribution Warehouse until retiring.
Dorothy enjoyed many years of bowling on a women’s league and a couple’s league with Melvin. She was an avid sports fan, especially baseball. Her favorite teams were the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, and Milwaukee Brewers. Dorothy was also a Green Bay Packers football fan and rarely missed watching a game. Dorothy and Melvin attended most of the events their kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids were involved in as long as they were able. Together Dorothy and Melvin enjoyed many trips all across the United States and parts of Canada on their matching Honda Goldwing touring motorcycles.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, Theresa Johnson, grandchildren and their spouses/significant others, great-grandchildren, and one sister-in-law, Dorothy Bridgeforth, many nieces and nephews, all of whom were always very special in her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin, in March 2020, their son, Dean in February 2013, parents, siblings and their spouses: Evelyn (Selmer) Larson, Charles, Jr. (Louise) Quale, Alvin (Dorothy) Quale, Douglas (Marion) Quale, Merle (Grace) Quale, Ellen Harsh, Geraldine Running. She is also preceded by Melvin’s sisters and brothers and their spouses.
The family is forever grateful for the superb care Mom (and Dad) received at Comforts of Home Memory Care for nearly two years and Comforts of Home Assisted Living both in Menomonie, WI. We wish to express our gratitude also to Mayo Hospice Team for their assistance these past few weeks.
Acknowledging that we are still in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic, a family service will be held. A celebration of life may be held at a later date. Inurnment will be in Rest Haven Gardens alongside her husband and son. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association, 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 400, McLean, VA 22102, Comforts of Home Memory Care, 2211 White Pine Lane, Menomonie, WI 54751, or feel free to direct a memorial to a charity/organization of your choice in Dorothy’s name.
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