Luida Elizabeth Sanders

Luida E. Sanders of Oshkosh died August 2, 2014 at Evergreen Community. Born April 21, 1917 in Rhinelander, elder daughter of Charles and Ida (Clermont) Sanders. Her parents owned a resort on Lake Tomahawk at this time, but moved to Hurley in 1919 when the resort was destroyed by fire. Following this, the family lived in several towns, with Luida graduating from Wittenberg High School in 1935.She then completed the two-year teaching course at Central State Teacher's College in Stevens Point, going to teaching in a one room rural school. At the school she was responsible for all facets of the operation, including cleaning, organizing supplies, lighting the heating fire and hauling water in for the children to wash. Despite these rigors she felt this was a fulfilling time in her life and remembered it with fondness. With the onset of WWII, she joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), serving in secretarial roles, recruiting duty and in hospital administration, with the rank of Tech Sergeant upon her discharge in 1946. She considered these years as ones with pride in her country, fellow military and her contributions to the victory. Due to this, she remained active in many veterans organizations, including founding a writers' group for veterans wishing to improve their skills. During this period she was enrolled at the UW-Madison, studying journalism, and translated this learning into assistance for her veteran-students. Later in her life, this continued interest in veterans activities prompted her to visit the Normandy Beachhead, and to also make numerous contributions to the establishment of the Veterans' Museum in Oshkosh. Luida lived in Madison after graduation from the UW, with a degree in journalism and aMaster's in Political Science, while working for the State Department of Public Health.In 1962, she was nominated for and received a grant from the State of Wisconsin for study at the University of California-Berkely toward a Master's in Public Health Education. Upon return, she transferred to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, monitoring health education programs within the state's high schools. After retirement from this department, she relocated to Oshkosh to be near family.Upon arrival in Oshkosh she became much busier than before, working at various levels of the Winnebago Democratic Party, becoming a Lay Minister within the Methodist Church and held services for nursing homes and hospital patients and those remaining at home. She supported many charitable causes, establishing a memorial in the name of her parents within the Northwoods Alliance, volunteered at the State Historical Society and donated many items of family papers to the latter, including letters between her and the family during WWII. She was also drawn into family history, doing much research into the Sanders, Clermont and Cronk backgrounds and contributions to history. She was quite pleased to note that she had ancestors in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, but offered the caveat that both had made the choice of the wrong sides in each conflict, then disappearing from any available records.She was also a constant traveler, journeying to Italy, France, England, Scotland, Germany, Holland and Israel, in addition to many trips with the United States to visit family and friends from her military service. Luida is survived by a nephew, Renny (Judy) Ohisson, Oshkosh; niece, Diette (Sam) Sousek, Gresham; niece. Use Ohisson, Ft. Atkinson; nephew, Steven (Sandi) Sanders, Oshkosh. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Mary S. (Andrew) Ohisson, brother Lewis (Dorothy) Sanders, Paul Sanders, infant brother; and nephew, Barry Ohisson. A memorial service for the family is planned for a later date. We will miss her serene, calm approach to life, her intellectual curiosity, her love for the Sanders and Ohisson families, along with her devotion to the Methodist Lay Ministry. May she receive the reward for a life lived on her own terms, a life dedicated to service to others. II Peter 1:11.