Lambertus (Bert) Sanders, age 73, passed away peacefully and comfortably while under hospice care at his Ventura residence on September 10, 2019. He was born on January 22, 1946 in Nunspeet, The Netherlands, to Eibert and Riekje Sanders. In 1954, a few years after his sister Hendrika Berendina (Dinny) was born, the family emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. While in Canada they were sponsored by his Aunt and Uncle, Casey and Ann Valkenburg who had moved to the area earlier. His brother, Ronald, was born while in Canada. After Bert had finished high school, the family moved to California and then two years later to Southern Oregon to again settle near the Valkenburgs. Bert served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, and in 1968 became a naturalized U.S. Citizen. During his time in the service, he repaired aircraft mounted camera equipment and grew a competitive love for volleyball.
After an honorable discharge, Bert attended Santa Barbara City College where he earned an Associates Degree in 1973 in Radiologic Technology. During his time at SBCC he enjoyed his hands on training at the Ventura County Medical Center so much so that after graduation he moved to Ventura to take a job with VCMC. During his 20 years there, Bert worked his way up the ranks from x-ray tech to CT tech and manager of the Radiology Department. He was instrumental in obtaining permits and housing for the first permanent CT scanner at VCMC.
Bert was quite an athlete and was active in sports throughout his life. He played football in high school, was racquetball champion at the YMCA, played on the VCMC men’s slow pitch and coed softball teams, took backpacking trips, and was an avid bicyclist, riding the Solvang Century (100 miles) twice.
Bert also enjoyed annual camping trips with family and friends. He was an enthusiastic nature lover, explorer, and photographer. He took many beautiful pictures of landscapes, historical landmarks and buildings, flowers, national parks, and wildlife. His other hobbies included gardening, especially tending roses and fruit trees. He loved animals and throughout the years cared for cockatiels, parakeets, finches, coy fish, cats, and dogs. He was particularly fond of Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties). Most recently he rescued a very special cocker spaniel named Kalia who was always by his side. In his later years, he volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) mentoring foster children.
Bert was best known and loved for his witty and facetious humor and jokes. He was compassionate and caring, and had a competitive, stubborn spirit that kept him fighting the final stage of congestive heart failure for much longer than statistics prove.
He was predeceased by his father Eibert and mother Riekje who were known as Opa and Oma (grandpa and grandma). He is survived by his daughter Corrine Janelle Masiulis and husband Joe, daughter, Alayna Riekje Sanders, and son, Garrett Jan Sanders; three grandsons Joseph, Casen, and Cole Masiulis; siblings Dinny Blossom and husband Lyle, brother, Ronald and wife Leanne, and nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his Tante (aunt) Ann Valkenburg, Oom (uncle) Ger and Tante (aunt) Janny Sanders Harderwijk, cousins and their families, and many longtime friends who had become family.
Please join us for a celebration of Bert’s life on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 12:30 pm at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home Chapel. Anyone who would like to share a memory and especially a laugh is welcome to speak.
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