Stephen R. Sanders, 68, of Manitowoc, WI was called home to his Heavenly Father on September 29, 2020 after sustaining critical injuries in an accident on September 26. Steve will forever be cherished by his wife and best friend, Janet, son Beau (Katie) Sanders and daughter Quinn (Josh) Check, and beloved grandchildren Leo, Judah, Graeme, Riley and Hayes. He will further be remembered by his brothers Robert (Amy) Sanders and Michael (Shirley) Sanders, his brothers-in-law Bill (Minty) Verbeten and Mike (Teresa) Verbeten, sisters-in-law Diane (Greg) Lemmers and Amy (John) Jensen, cousins, nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Steve was born on July 2, 1952 to the late Ralph “Sparky” and Rose Sanders in Appleton, WI. He married the love of his life, Janet Verbeten, on June 9, 1973. He proudly served in the United States Air Force, and after his service he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Steve and Jan eventually made Manitowoc their home, where Steve had a successful sales career and made many lifelong friends.
He had a passion for refereeing youth and high school sports, donning that striped jersey for thousands of hours. He loved being part of the game and was committed to helping young athletes and referees reach their potential.
Steve was an avid conversationalist. He never missed an opportunity to engage in conversation with anyone, from asking every server their name to sparking the occasional debate to dissecting the plays of the game to sharing his faith. His ability and determination to connect with everyone was legendary, and he was not one to be forgotten.
Steve was guided by his deep faith in Jesus Christ. He attended morning Mass daily and faithfully studied the Bible. He carried his prayer book with him nearly everywhere and would have been moved to know the scores of prayers lifted on his behalf in his final days.
Steve was filled with love and joy and he gregariously shared that with everyone. He considered every day to be a blessing and lived his life to the fullest. He will be remembered as an eternal optimist, always finding the positive lesson in every situation. Steve was happiest when he was with his family and he cherished every moment with his wife, two children, and five beautiful grandchildren.
The family will have a public visitation at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Waldo, 1121 Waldo Blvd., Manitowoc, on Monday, October 5th from 11am – 12pm. There will be a private Mass of Christian Burial officiated by Rev. Doug LeCaptain at 12 p.m. for family members, however it will be streamed online on the parish’s website. A celebration of life will be planned in the spring. Cremation has taken place at the Harrigan Parkside Crematory and Chapel. Burial will follow the funeral service at Evergreen Cemetery in Manitowoc with military honors accorded by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #731.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy, the family requests everyone to wear masks and practice social distancing. Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com
The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, North 11th and St. Clair streets, Manitowoc, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
