Alean Leola Sanders, Wells, passed away at age 89 years at the Ottawa County Health Center on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. She was born on May 14, 1926, to Benjamin and Bertha (Strecker) Keil near Galatia in Barton County, Kansas. She was the seventh of ten children.

She attended school through 8th grade. She left school to go to work helping families with household duties. She worked for the Deines Funeral home as a housekeeper and then moved to Russell to work as a telephone operator.

She married Darrell Sanders in Russell on October 2, 1960, and moved to the farm in Ottawa County near Lamar. Darrell preceded her in death in 2014. They had three sons and three daughters. She was a member of the Mt. Liberty United Methodist Church and the Flower Circle. She served for many years as the church treasurer. She also played the organ. She was a homemaker and a wonderful cook. She was an excellent bread maker. She sewed for her family.

She was diagnosed with cancer in 2007, and after surgery and radiation, she started a prayer shawl ministry. She has crocheted countless prayer shawls and doilies for family and friends in the past eight years.

She is survived by her children Anitta & Kevin Staats, Wamego; Farrell Sanders, Overland Park; Karolee & Tim Wiles, Hunter; Angela & Brian Pae, Fulton, Missouri; and Daren & Ruthie Sanders, Miltonvale. Grandchildren are Jonathan & Molly Staats, Amanda & Tj Bullock, Ben, Blake, and Will Sanders, Mariah & Chace Weis, McKenzie Wiles, Cody & Jason Pae, and Lane & Carlean Sanders. Her first great grandson, Kasen Darrell Emerson, arrived on November 30. Siblings include Fern Trent and Glenn Keil, Russell, and sister-in-law Roberta Keil, Galatia, and Bonnie Steffen, Wakefield, and brother-in-law Leo Whitley, Minneapolis.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Lucile, Elsie, Clarence, Thelma, Claranetta, Leland, and Wayne and a son, Curtis.

Visitation will be 4:00-8:00 P.M. Friday at Wilson Family Funeral Home, Minneapolis, where the family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. Funeral services will be at 2:00 P.M. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lamar. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Ottawa County Health Center, Minneapolis.