Oma Louise Sanders

Oma Louise Sanders, 81, passed away in her sleep on December 26, 2022, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.  Oma was born, July 26 1941, in Neelyvile, Arkansas.  After graduating high school in Leachville, Arkansas she went to work as a Medical Transcriptionist in Jonesboro.  It was in that office that she met Robert Sanders and his two daughters, Terry and Belinda.  She Fell in love instantly with all three, and they dated for 3 months, until Robert’s National Guard wing was activated due to the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Robert reenlisted and was sent to Lowry Air Force base, but before leaving asked Oma to marry him.  One month later she took a bus to Aurora, Colorado and they were married by a Justice of the Peace on June 7, 1961.  Oma assumed the role of a military wife and she and Robert had three children together, Robin, John, and Jill.

 Once her children were old enough, Oma went back to school and graduated from Merced College as an R.N.  She was passionate about nursing and worked at Merced Cardiac Rehab Center.  Her outgoing personality and winning smile created long lasting friendships with coworkers and patients alike.

Robert and Oma moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and retired in 1994, though she continued to do home health care nursing as long as her health would let her.  Oma was preceded in death by her father John Baumgardner, mother Glodine Baumgardner (Hemby), brothers Robert Carrol, John Abraham, and sister Donna Ann (Nettles).  Oma is survived by her husband of 61 years, Robert Sanders, daughters Terry (Schullerts), Belinda (Blades), Robin (Sowers), Jill Sanders, son John Sanders, sister Dolores Cornish. There are too many grandkids and great grandkids to list although they brought her the most joy.

She is to be interred at the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield Missouri.