Lareta Sanders, 91 of rural New Sharon died March 27, 2019 at the Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, April 3rd at the New Sharon United Methodist Church in New Sharon. Visitation will begin after 2:00 pm at the New Sharon United Methodist Church with the family present from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Tuesday, April 2nd. Burial will be held in the Jackson Township Cemetery in Montezuma. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Serenity House of Oskaloosa.

Lareta Jean Sanders, the daughter of Robert Otho and Lela Rose (Byers) Sanders was born on January 9, 1928 on the family farm in Poweshiek County. She graduated from Barnes City High School in Barnes City in 1945. She married Clyde Eugene Sanders on August 24, 1947 at the United Methodist Church in Montezuma. She always joked that she married Clyde so she didn't have to change her last name. To this union three children were born, Daniel, Carol Sue, and JoAnn. She worked at Star Lanes Bowling Alley in Montezuma, Bond's Family Restaurant in New Sharon, and on the family farm with her parents and then later with her husband, Clyde.

Lareta had a lifetime of hobbies and interests but her favorite thing to do was to work on the farm she loved, with her best friend and beloved husband, Clyde. She said "The best memories in life are made on the farm." She had an immense love for family and fabric. In her younger years she enjoyed going to "Club" on Wednesdays with the ladies, watching "her story" (Days of Our Lives), bowling at Star Lanes in Montezuma, attending neighborhood card parties, going to dances, attending grandchildren's activities, baking chocolate chip cookies for herself and oatmeal raisin cookies for Clyde, watching birds out the kitchen window, playing a mean game of Nertz at Christmas, crocheting afghans for everyone she knew, and sitting on the front porch in her chair next to Clyde. In later years, she enjoyed buying even more fabric, quilting on Tuesdays at the Methodist Church, attending great grandchildren's activities, sewing pajamas for her great grandchildren, volunteering at Bidwell Mission in Des Moines, visiting family in New Orleans, Louisiana, and buying even more fabric. She was a member of the Fuller-Sarvis American Legion Women's Auxiliary of Barnes City.

Left to honor her memory are her children Daniel (Pam) Sanders of Gibson, Carol Sue (Duane) Renaud of New Sharon, and JoAnn DeCook of New Sharon; her grandchildren Stacie (Larry) Cameron of Deep River, Eric Sanders of Barnes City, Wendy (Jake) Dayton of Malcom, Alicia (Marty) Silvers of Oskaloosa, Amy (Chris) Renaud of Cedar Rapids, Arin (Jason Steinkamp) Renaud of Ankeny, Joshua (Erin) DeCook of New Sharon, Jacob (Brittany) DeCook of Oskaloosa, Jami DeCook of New Sharon, and Giovana Porto De Jesus of Brazil; great grandchildren Brady and Cole Cameron, Caitlyn, Courtney, and Caylee Sanders, Calvin, Camden and Caleb Silvers, Seth Gelo, Alexis, Essence, Ella and Adley Renaud, Gideon DeCook and his soon-to-be sibling; sister Phyllis Rauch of Barnes City; brother-in-law Ronald Sanders of New Orleans, Louisiana, brother-in-law Marvin (Sandy) Sanders of Solon, brother-in-law Roger (Joan) Sanders of Des Moines, brother-in-law Bob Sanders of Deep River; sister-in-law Phyllis Sanders of Grinnell; several nieces and nephews, other relatives, and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Lela; her husband Clyde; her great granddaughters Daisy Cameron and Zoey Sanders; brother-in-laws Orville Sanders, Donn Sanders, and Robert Rauch; sister-in-laws Johnnie Sanders and Dixie Sanders.