John Sander, 81, of Coweta, Oklahoma, died Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Ascension St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 6 at 10:30 AM, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, rural Leigh, Nebraska, with Rev. Dr. Marsha Jark-Swain officiating.  Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Creston, Nebraska.  Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Gass Haney Funeral Home in Columbus, and continue on Thursday from 9:30 AM until service time at the church. There will be a family prayer service on Thursday at 10:15 AM at the church.  Memorials are suggested to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Creston Fire Department, or Habitat for Humanity of Columbus.

John Robert Sander was born October 8, 1941, in Platte County, Nebraska, to Paul and Mabel (Wendt) Sander.  He attended Platte County grade school and graduated from Leigh High School in Leigh, Nebraska.  John was united in marriage to Jacqueline "Jackie" Nichols on March 3, 1962, in Creston, Nebraska.  They farmed near Creston for many years before moving to Loveland, Colorado, where John then maintained the grounds for 30 different schools in the Thompson School District of Loveland.  In 2021 they moved to Coweta.  John enjoyed collecting John Deere tractors, camping, four wheeling, boating, watching westerns, news, QVC, driving around looking at the current gas prices, family times, and Braum's strawberry shakes. He was proud to have received the Platte County Farmer of the Year Award.

John is survived by:
Wife – Jacqueline "Jackie" Sander of Coweta, OK
Daughter – Kim (Dave) Oswandel of Fort Collins, CO
Grandchildren – Nick Dei - great grandson Vincent Dei, Brandon Dei, and Dillon Dei
Son – Rob (Gwen) Sander of Columbus, NE
Grandchildren – Hillary Sander, McKayla (Nathan) Thege, and Lexie Sander
Daughter – Jan (Bill) Becker of Columbus, NE
Grandchildren – Amber (fiancé – Michael West) Harris, Chris (significant other – Ashley Armitage) Harris, and Tyler Becker
Son – Tal Sander of Coweta, OK
Grandchildren – Austin Sander and Taylar Sander
Sister-in-law – Jean (Bill) Oeltjen of Columbus, NE
Sister-in-law – Kathie (Rod) Noring of Colorado Springs, CO
Many extended family members

John was preceded in death by:
Parents – Paul and Mable Sander
Parents-in-law – Jack and Edith Nichols
Brother – Dallas (Esther "Elaine") Sander
Brother – Donald (Harriet) Sander