Harry John William Sanders

Harry passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026 at the age of 84. Harry was born on the family farm near Vanscoy on March 12, 1941, and grew up enjoying life on the farm with his siblings. Harry often recalled riding his horse Flash and milking cows to music as a child.

He moved to BC in his teen years and met a wonderful family who treated him like he was one of their own. He had many good stories to tell about his life in BC. He came back to Saskatchewan where he joined the family painting and decorating business with his dad and his brothers Harold and Richard. He later continued to work as a professional painter and decorator with his brother George and then on his own after George became ill and passed away. He took great pride in making a house look fresh and new or a farm building taking on a new look again.

He met Muriel in 1969 when he hired her as dispatcher for a towing business he bought with his brothers, Harold and Donald. They married in 1970, lived in the Vanscoy District until 1995, and raised two children, Darren and Jan.

Harry was a very well respected man in the community and was involved with the Vanscoy Recreation Board serving as the Treasurer, he was instrumental in getting the board and the community involved in the new Bingo fundraisers. He founded the Seniors recreation hockey team “Sanders A535” and was so proud as the company that manufactured A535 sent him a case of rub for his players. The players presented him with a Coach of the Year plaque in 1986.

After his children were grown they sold their home and moved to Saskatoon. Harry loved to sing and dance and would often attend the weekend dances or house parties whenever he could. He had many friends who enjoyed his kind and loving nature and his keen sense of humour and whit. He loved to sit around a campfire singing songs and sharing stories and jokes with his family and friends.

He loved nature and the outdoors and spent many years hunting and trapping in the winter and working outdoors in the summer. Once we moved to Saskatoon, he made friends in our new home and held Karaoke Parties in the amenities room, Harry had discovered Karaoke at Pookaroo’s, one of the neighbourhood bars, and would spend many years entertaining, along with the many friends he made through his love of country music. You could often find him at Cracker’s singing his heart out in the evenings.

We moved a few times and at each new home he made new friends and continued to enjoy his music. For the last 13 years we have made St. George’s Ukrainian Seniors Residence our home where he made some very good friends. He enjoyed a good game of Kaiser, Tuesday night Bingo, Thursday morning coffee and the odd (LOL) Karaoke Party.

Harry raised his two children with love and wisdom and instilled in them his same pride and work ethic, He very much loved and was very proud of his grandchildren.

Harry had to endure a life with many health concerns and, at a young age, developed Rheumatic fever which left him with a heart murmur and a weak immune system. In his early 40’s he developed Chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis which plagued him with severe joint pain and damage throughout the rest of his life. Even though he suffered with the pain every day he never let it get him down. He kept smiling and finding humour in his daily life.

He endured the results of his disease and was given new life with joint transplants, he had two new shoulders, two new hips, three knees, one elbow, and a mechanical heart valve. Muriel referred to him as her "million-dollar man." Although he was bionic he did not possess exceptional speed or the ability to make extraordinary leaps, he was her hero for 56 years.

Harry enjoyed his last New Years Eve, singing Karaoke and dancing in the amenities room at his home. He enjoyed a good home cooked ham dinner with Muriel on New Years Day, watched his Winnipeg Jets lose, watched the news, and after telling Muriel, “I Love you Babe” went off to bed.

Harry was predeceased by his mother Gladys, father Fred, brothers George, Harold, and Joe, his sisters Louise Torgeson, Marguerite, and Nellie Saul, Father and Mother-in-Law Eric and Irene Spence, Brothers-in-Law Stanely Torgeson, Arnold Hodgson, and Harold Saul, Derick de Vere, Larry and Murray Spence; Sister-in-Law Evaline Sanders.

He is survived by his wife Muriel, children Darren and Jan (Kelly) Carson, grandchildren Shelby Keet and Kaitlin Hamill (Drew), Great grandchildren Hayden and Gordon Hamill, Sister Joyce Hodgson, Brothers Richard (Madeline), Donald (Linda), Sister-in-Law Ann Sanders. and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Ken Bayly, Dr. Kurt Roelens, Dr. Jawad Akhtar, Dr. Wojciech Olszynski, Dr. Norm Joanis, Dr. Stacy Lok, and every one of the nursing staff and resident doctors who cared for Harry during this lifelong battle with sickness.

Harry enriched the lives of his friends and family and will be greatly missed by and his friends and family will keep his memory alive with loving stories to come.

As per Harry's wishes, there will be no funeral. Mourning Glory Funeral Home is overseeing his cremation, and his family will scatter his ashes in the countryside at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice or to the Arthritis, Heart and Stroke, or Diabetes Foundations. Harry’s family appreciates everyone’s condolences and support.

He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great grandfather, but mostly, he was a true friend and a gentleman. Please share your memories with others in passing. Harry loved his family and his family truly loved him. He was my love and my best friend. Eternally yours with Love Harry. Bid