A Mass of Christian Burial for Iris E. Sanders, 94, of Junction City will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 4, 2023 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Junction City. Father Sam Etim will officiate. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Junction City. Iris passed away on January 28, 2023 in Manhattan, Kansas. She was born September 15, 1928 in Ogden, Kansas, the daughter of Herbert C. and Lottie M. (Thomas) Spittles. She married Donald James Sanders on April 21, 1951 at Saint Xavier Catholic Church in Junction City, KS. They were married 55 years.
Iris graduated from Saint Xavier High School in 1946. She attended and graduated from Marymount College and Saint John’s Hospital in Salina, Kansas as a Registered Nurse. She was employed by Geary Community Hospital, Geary County Health Department before her employment with Kansas Department of Health and Environment as a Nurse Consultant for 24 years and retired in 1996. She was a devout catholic and member of the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Iris loved sewing and quilting and did so with the highest quality. She was very caring and supportive of family and always one of the first to be there for relatives, friends and neighbors. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Iris is preceded in death by her husband on April 28, 2006; her parents, brothers William Spittles, Darrell Spittles, Richard Spittles, sister Lois (Spittles) Barton and son Gary Sanders.
Iris is survived by her son, Mark A. Sanders (Stephanie) of Junction City, Kansas. Three daughters: Nancy A. Klaverweiden (Bruce) of Junction City, Kansas; Marla M. Rate (Denny) of Casper, Wyoming; Mary G. Ross (Dan) of Junction City, Kansas. Six grandchildren: Katie Klaverweiden of Topeka, Kansas; Heidi Klaverweiden (Andy Northrup) of Topeka, KS; Amy (William) Rowden of Cheyenne, Wyoming; Maggie (Brendon) Littau of Casper, Wyoming; Abby McKenzie of Arlington, Texas; Anolia Ross of Junction City, Kansas and three great-grandchildren. Three step-grandchildren: Lee (Cassandra) Flowers of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Austen (Nicole) DeHoff-Cochren of Georgetown, Texas and Ely DeHoff-Cochren of Littleton, Colorado and and five step great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 3, 2023 with a rosary at 6:00 p.m. at Saint Xavier's Catholic Church in Junction City.