SANDERS, William “Will”

SANDERS William (Will) John (Wilhelmus Johannes) Sanders was born on November 16, 1938, and went to be with God on June 2, 2026, at the age of 87. Will was a loving husband, father, grandfather (Bubba), great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Will was born in Leimuiden, Holland to Johannes and Louisa Sanders and was the fourth of nine children. He would tell stories of living in Amsterdam and watching the planes come and go from the airport during the Second World War, among stories of the hardships and trials they endured during that time, along with loving and caring stories of his life in Holland. His family immigrated to Canada in 1953 and landed in Halifax. They finally arrived in Keromeos, BC. It was there he met the love of his life Reva in 1959, and they married on December 5, 1960. Will and Reva then had three children: Thomas, David, and Karen. The family moved to many places over the years but eventually settled in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1974.
Will was a hard worker and a bricklayer by trade. His hands have built many buildings in Lethbridge and the surrounding area, and many of them are still standing. Once he retired from bricklaying, he became a janitor and bus driver for the Lethbridge Christian School. Being a school bus driver was his favourite job; he was able to mould and shape young minds and hearts, which he was very passionate about. He would still get stopped by students to this day that knew him from when he was their bus driver or their janitor and say, “hi Mr. Sanders”. He was very proud of what he was able to accomplish working at that school. When he retired from driving bus he volunteered at the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen for many years and did odd jobs for people in need, he could never sit still he was always on the go. He was also the kind of man that could look at a piece of wood and know instantly what he wanted to create with it, he has built many things over the years, but most recently he created a lot of things for his cats.
Will was very close with God and knew where he was going when he passed. He wasn’t scared. He did say to family at the end that he was excited about the journey to heaven. Will was predeceased by his parents Johannes and Louisa Sanders, his in-laws Oswald and Margaret Sappok, and siblings: Nellie Van Diemen, Casey Sanders, Gary Sanders, and adopted siblings Maggie and Andy Babtiste. Left to mourn his passing are his loving and devoted wife Reva, sons Thomas Sanders and David (Vicky) Sanders, daughter Karen (Jim) Ostrup, grandsons: Jordan (Nila) Ostrup and Kevin (Ashia) Sanders, granddaughter Kristin (Chris) Sanders, and great-granddaughters Blakely and Haddy Ostrup; his siblings: Harry, John, Luke, Mieke, Carla, Charlie, and Billy and families; and his sister-in-law Rilla (Vern) Sappok, along with many nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by his special adopted families, Mark and Jackie Adams and their family, and Jawid and Shabana Omerzai and their family.
He was a man of God, loyal and loving to his faith. Will was also a man that would give all he had to anyone who needed it. As per Will’s wishes there will be no funeral, he was a man who needed little. Please donate to the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen or help your neighbour if they need it and think of Will. Our family wants to thank the staff at the Chinook Regional Hospital Emergency department, and the staff at St. Michael’s Health Centre in the palliative care for all the hard work, dedication, and compassion they do every day, but a heartfelt sincere thank you for taking care of Will in his time of need.

To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com