Maryella Sanders, 92

February 27, 1929 - August 08, 2021

Maryella Sanders, 92, of Lancaster, died on August 8, 2021, at Hospice & Community Care in Mount Joy. She was surrounded in her last days by family members from two to ninety-two and some family friends. The family was able to share stories and memories with her in her last days, which were of great comfort and joy to her.

She was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and lived in the “Hill Section” near Nay Aug Park. In seventh grade marching as a Girl Scout in a Scranton parade, she paired off with Boy Scout Bill Sanders and they sat together in the bleachers igniting a love affair that never ended. They married in 1950 and celebrated 63 years together until Bill’s passing in 2013.

After graduating from Scranton High School, the auburn-haired beauty modeled for Scranton’s Globe Store and later worked at the Pennsylvania Office of Forestry and Water. In 1951, starting with the birth of the first of her four children, she embarked on her life’s greatest work and joy – the raising of her family. Tucked inside a bible presented to her on October 3, 1937 by the Myrtle Street Methodist Church in Scranton were news clippings marking births, weddings and deaths of her family and dear friends.

Throughout her life she was an avid card enthusiast – playing everything from solitaire and gin rummy to crazy gin and bridge. In her life, she was blessed in every suit: spades representing her great love of gardening and flowers; diamonds representing her good fortune – she got to see the world on travels with Bill to Japan, China, Europe, the Canary Islands, and her favorite, Hawaii; clubs representing her love of social gatherings; and hearts, the most important of all, representing her enormous heart and great love of family.

She is survived by her son William Ehrhardt Sanders and his wife Marlene Smith Sanders of Lancaster; daughter Christine Powers and her husband Richard Powers of Lancaster; and son Wardell Sanders and his wife Erica Rubine of Lambertville, New Jersey; and grandchildren Richard Garrity Powers, Daniel Patrick Powers, William Lloyd Powers, Lily Joy Sanders, and Ian Stuart Sanders; and great grandchildren Sloane Maryella Powers and Quinn Eleanor Powers. She is predeceased by her husband, William “Bill” Kaufman Sanders; her parents, Frederick Anthony Ehrhardt and Margaret Ehrhardt; a sister, Harriet Reynolds; and a daughter, Joy Susan Sanders Gordinier.

A Memorial Service will be held on August 15, 2021 at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA 17543. Visitation begins at 10:00 a.m. and a service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Please omit flowers. If desired, contributions in Mrs. Sanders’ memory may be made to Hospice & Community Care, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125.