Robert C. Sanders

Robert Cain Sanders died Thursday morning, January 27 at Brookside Inn in Castle Rock, Colorado. He was 90 years old. He was born on April 2, 1920 at home on the family farm in Franklin County, Iowa to John Benjamin and Dora Sanders. Bob was number 5 in a family of seven children. He had two sisters Margaret and Lucille, and 4 brothers Royal, Bill, Fay and JB. He lived on the farm where his father raised Shorthorn cattle and puppies. He graduated from Hampton High School and was drafted into the Army at age 22 on March 4, 1943. He served in the 11th Calvary from the Roer to the Elbe. He remembered helping to liberate a POW camp near Metz, Germany and served until Dec. 6, 1945. His highest rank was PFC and Bob joked that that was the highest rank that he wanted because it stood for Practice For Civilian.

Bob met his wife, Alice, in the fall of 1947, at a dance in Waterloo, Iowa, at Electric Park where big bands came to play. They were married July 11, 1948, in the Methodist Church in Geneva, Iowa. Bob and Alice have three children, Steven, Sandra and Debra. Bob carried mail in the Hampton, Sheffield and Chapin, Iowa areas for over 30 years. He also farmed a small acreage outside of Chapin, Iowa. He and his wife Alice were active members of the United Methodist Church in Chapin, Iowa.

In 1990, Bob and Alice moved to Castle Rock, Colorado to be nearer to their children, Sandra and Doug Hamilton and Steve Sanders. Debra and Jim Cupp were living in Virginia at that time. They joined the First United Methodist Church in Castle Rock and were active for many years with the Seniors at the Rec Center.

Bob and Alice traveled and visited all 50 states and Canada. (Except Alice missed New Jersey-Bob had shipped in and out of there during the war and said she could skip it.) Bob loved to dance, play cards and tell jokes. His hobbies were woodworking and photography.

Bob is survived by his wife, Alice and his children Steve, Sandi and Deb; sons-in-laws Doug Hamilton and Jim Cupp; grandsons DJ Hamilton, Matt Hamilton, Mitch Hamilton, John Cupp and Michael Cupp; granddaughters in law Pam Hamilton and Liz Hamilton; great granddaughter, Fiona and brother, JB Sanders.

Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Andrews Caldwell Gibson Chapel, Castle Rock, CO.