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In Memory

Martha Prouty (Sander) - Class Of 1945

Martha Prouty Sander-Class of 1945

Obituary for Martha Sander
deceased 8-13-15

Sander, Martha age 87 years of Waterloo, NE
Survived by Sons Carroll (Alice) of Olathe, KS and John of Waterloo, NE; daughter Marie (David) Skillman of San Diego, CA; grandsons Michael Sander and Jason (Sarah) Sander; sister Kathryn Bartlett of Waunakee, WI; 
 

Martha was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts on September 5, 1927 to Carroll H. and Mary (Bimson) Prouty. The following year her father finished his seminary training and the family moved to Nebraska. Over the years, they lived in Brock, Seward (where her sister Kathryn was born in 1934), Scottsbluff and McCook, Nebraska. 

She graduated from McCook High School in 1945. A proud McCook Bison to the end, she just missed going to her 70th class reunion. She went to Lincoln School of Business for two years, training as a comptometer operator. 

While in McCook she met Dean Sander, who was attending junior college there. They got engaged on a hay rack ride in the fall of 1948 and were married on August 18, 1949. They had three children: Carroll Leroy, Marie, and John. 

They moved to Waterloo in the fall of 1950. Dean worked for JC Robinson Seed Company for 40 years.

When Dean joined the Volunteer Fire Department, Martha joined the Auxiliary and spent many hours (at ALL HOURS) making coffee, sandwiches and chili for the volunteers. She was named an Honorary Fireman in 1972. She was a member of the PTA while her children were in school, the American Legion Auxiliary and Eureka Chapter of the Eastern Star. 

Martha and Dean joined the Waterloo Presbyterian Church in 1954 and helped it evolve from having only a Sunday supply pastor to hiring a full-time pastor, and then continue to grow and eventually move to Elkhorn as Peace Presbyterian. 
Martha served the church as Sunday School Secretary for many years, as an ordained deacon, and held offices in Presbyterian Women. She received an Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women in 1988. After Dean died in 1992, she concentrated on keeping the church attendance records and especially loved meeting visitors and encouraging new members. And keeping wedding boxes supplied, making cookies, doing what ever was needed, often behind the scenes. 

She and her son John became such avid followers of the Nebraska women’s volleyball team that the team members and coaches knew her as "Mom" when she attended all the games. 

Martha was an excellent seamstress and her hobby was keeping up with her family history. She made it a point to know and recognize everybody’s birthdays and anniversaries. Not just with a card…. she always included a letter and some appropriate articles clipped from newspapers or magazines. 

Martha's strong faith was evident throughout her life. Before she died on August 13, 2015, she told everyone she was going to be with Jesus. She is survived by son Carroll and his wife Alice of Olathe Kansas, daughter Marie and her husband David Skillman of San Diego California, son John of Waterloo, grandsons Michael Sander of Merriam Kansas and Jason Sander and his wife Sarah of Olathe Kansas, sister Kathryn Bartlett of Waunakee Wisconsin, and many other family members and friends.