April 24, 1940 - June 14, 2006
Cancer
MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN -- Mr. Neil
J. Sanders, age 66, of Norton Shores, died surrounded by his loving
family Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at The Poppen Residence.
He was born April 24, 1940 in Logansport,
IN, to Neil and Pauline (Grusenmeyer) Sanders.
A lover of outdoors, Neil enjoyed
hiking and backpacking with his sons and friends and on Sierra
Club service trips. Neil’s interest in sports began
with grade school football and continued with high school basketball,
college wrestling, cross-country skiing and racquetball. As
a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, he coached the Ecuadorian
national wrestling team.
After receiving his M.A. and Ed.
Spec. degrees in counseling at MSU, he started his 33-year counseling
career at Muskegon Community College. Neil was a founding
member of the Muskegon Area Counselors Association.
Neil’s love of hiking lead
to attaining a number of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks. For
the last 10 years, Neil was an avid practitioner and teacher of
yoga.
Generous, kind and uncomplaining,
Neil will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
He is SURVIVED by his wife, Jill;
sons, Josh (Chantal) Sanders and John Sanders; grandson, Nikolaus
Sanders; parents, Neil and Pauline Sanders; sister, Sheryl (David)
Nielsen; nieces and nephews.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held
3:00 PM Friday, June 16, 2006 at The Walburn Chapel, Sytsema Funeral
Homes, Inc., 1547 W. Sherman Blvd., (231) 759-8565, with the Rev.
John DeBoer officiating.
VISITATION will be held 5-9 PM this
evening (Thursday) and 2-3 PM Friday at the funeral home.
MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS may be directed
to the Foundation for Muskegon Community College Endowment Fund
or the American Red Cross.
Sign the on-line guestbook at www.sytsemafh.com
Memorials: Foundation
for Muskegon Community College Endowment Fund or the American
Red Cross
Cemetery: Norton Cemetery
Visitations: 5:00PM to 9:00PM
on June 15th, 2006 at Walburn-Sytsema Funeral Home, Inc.
2:00PM
to 3:00PM on June 16th, 2006 at Walburn-Sytsema Funeral Home,
Inc.
Services: 3:00PM at Walburn-Sytsema
Funeral Home on June 16th, 2006 (6-16-06).