Clay Sanders, 75, passed away Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, at the Cedar County Memorial Hospital after a long courageous battle with emphysema and congestive heart failure. He was born Feb. 3, 1934, in Sac City, IA, to Leland and Letha Sanders.
After his parents divorce in 1939, he lived in Christian Home Orphanage in Council Bluffs, IA, until 1943, when he became the foster son of Merle and Grace Hall of Redline, IA. He lived and worked on their farm until 1948 when he moved to Salem, OR, to live with his mother, Letha Kibbey, and sister, Gloria. He attended Salem High School graduating in 1952.
He then returned to Iowa and enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He served in the Marines during the Korean War serving at Jacksonville, FL, and Cherry Point, N.C., as a jet aircraft mechanic and flight instructor.
After his discharge from the service, he returned to Harlan, IA, and worked as a lineman and line foreman with the City of Harlan and the Nishnabotna Valley REC. He began farming in 1968, doing custom farming for many of the farmers in the Harlan area and working for the Farm Bureau applying anhydrous ammonia.
On Dec. 24, 1970, he married Judy Peterson Kay. They continued farming near Harlan until 1976 when they purchased a farm near Princeton, MO. They farmed there and near Nevada, until March 1975 when they sold out the farming operation and Clay went to work for the City of El Dorado Springs as a lineman. He was promoted to Utility Director for the City of El Dorado in the fall of 1985 and served in that position until his retirement on March 31, 2000.
Clay had many interests, but especially loved square dancing and boating. Every warm weekend for the last 21 years, he could be found boating at the Lake of the Ozarks. Clay was very knowledgeable about many things and loved to solve problems. He was always happy when someone asked his advice about a problem. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Gloria Hartvickson, Portland, OR; a half-brother, Mark Sanders, North Pole, AK; his father, Leland Sanders; mother, Letha Kibbey; and foster parents, Merle and Grace Hall.
Leaving to mourn his passing are his wife, Judy; step-son, Randy (Michelle) Kay; step-grandson, Russell Kay; step-granddaughter, Melyssa Kay; brother-in-law, Leonard Hartvickson; brothers and sisters-in-law, Hugh and Dee O’Grady, Omaha, NE, and Jim and Monna Juhl, Shelby, IA. Also surviving are his half-sisters, Jana (Marvin) Coon, Farmhamville, IA, and Helen Wissman, Fairbanks, AK; nieces and nephew.
Services were held Friday, Oct. 16, at Sheldon Chapel with Ray Bozarth officiating. Ray sang Someone To Care, Amazing Grace and Living On Borrowed Time.
Interment was in Harlan (IA) Cemetery under direction of Sheldon Funeral Home, El Dorado Springs.
