Joan (Weiss) Sanders

Joan (Weiss) Sanders, 86, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Monday May 25, 2026. She was born on February 28, 1940, outside of Guernsey, Iowa, to Clarence and Viola Weiss.

Joan was raised on a family farm near Guernsey alongside her twin sister, Jane (David) Rinderknecht, her older sister, Darlene, and her brothers, Maynard (Lois) Weiss and Donald (Eloise) Weiss. Those early years shaped her strong work ethic and deep love for family. She attended St. John’s Lutheran Church school and graduated from Deep River High School in 1958. It was there that she met Roger Sanders, the love of her life, beginning a lifelong partnership grounded in love and commitment.

After moving to Des Moines, Joan worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company before marrying Roger on October 14, 1961. Together, they built a life centered on family. Joan’s greatest joy was being a mother to her two sons, Steve and Jerry. She devoted herself wholeheartedly to raising her boys, creating a home filled with care, warmth, and stability.

Joan’s love was often expressed through the simple but meaningful things she did each day. She had a gift for sewing, decorating cakes, and baking, and her kitchen was the heart of her home. Her family will forever treasure the recipes she passed down and the memories made around her table. She took great pride in keeping an immaculate home and found everyday joy in watching hummingbirds flutter outside her kitchen window.

In addition to caring for her family, Joan worked over the years at Jo-Ann Fabrics and provided cleaning services for a law firm and private homes—always bringing her quiet diligence and pride in a job well done.

Joan is lovingly remembered by her sons, Steve (Lisa) Sanders and Jerry (Melissa) Sanders; her five grandchildren, John Sanders, Jara (Alejandro) Monjaras-Sanders, Jill Sanders, Juliette (Sean) Sanders-Howard, and Jerrett Sanders; and her three great-grandchildren, Juliana Dalton, Alejandro Monjaras-Sanders, and Jerry Monjaras-Sanders.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Roger; her parents, Clarence and Viola Weiss; her brother Donald Weiss; her sister Darlene; and her cherished twin sister, Jane Rinderknecht.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 13 at Hamilton Funeral Home, 620 Lyon Street in Des Moines, with visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will take place at a later date at St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with Roger, near her twin sister, and surrounded by her siblings.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Taylor Hospice House, whose compassionate care brought comfort to Joan in her final hours, or to Peace Lutheran Church in Des Moines.

Joan will be remembered for her steady love, her devotion to her family, and the warmth she brought into everyday life. The home she created and the love she gave will continue to live on in all who knew her.

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