Elsie Sanders, 81

Elmore — Elsie Sanders, age 81, of Elmore, died June 24, 2008, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center, Blue Earth. Funeral services were held June 28, 2008, at First Baptist Church in Blue Earth, with Rev. Joel DeNeui officiating. Burial was in Riverview Cemetery, Elmore.

Patton Funeral Home and Cremation Service was in charge of arrangements.

Elsie was born Feb. 8, 1927, in London, England, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Cape) Haylock. She was raised and educated in London where she attended schools. She was member of the Girl Guides, worked at a Green Grocer and was a champion swimmer in England before boarding the Queen Elizabeth for America in 1947. From Ellis Island she made her way to Fairmont where she was married to Joseph J. Sanders on March 30, 1947. The couple lived in the Fairmont and Swea City, Iowa areas where Elsie was a homemaker and became a U.S. Citizen in 1952. They lived on a farm one mile west of Blue Earth for a few years before moving to Elmore in 1962 where she operated the gardening part of Joe’s Welding & Garden Center for several years. She was pleased to have some of her large wreathes hanging on the doors of Buckingham Palace for several years. Elsie was a member of the Elmore Garden Club, WWII English War Brides Group and the First Baptist Church in Blue Earth for many years.

Elsie is survived by her sons, Herbert (Irene) Fuller of London, Joe (Jill) Sanders of Tofte, daughter, Jodell Sanders of Elmore, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband in 1994, two brothers – Joseph and Freddy, five sisters – Molly, Cecelia, Katherine, Audrey and Gladys, one nephew and three brothers-in-law.

Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com