Ms. Betty Jean Sanders

Betty Jean Sanders was born June 4, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri, to the union of Demancy and Ethel Lee (Mitchell) Joiner. Betty finished her race beautifully and gracefully on Saturday morning, April 13, 2024. She was the eighth of 10 children. Her siblings included Vernon, Evelyn, Jane, Salihah Kaazim, Joyce, Loyce, Rose, Burt Charles, and Barbara. They were a close-knit family with loving parents. Both parents, and seven siblings preceded her in death. Most Joiner children were baptized by the time they became teens, but Betty was shy and often kept to herself. She accepted Christ and was baptized in 2016 at the family church of over 75 years, Victorious Life, formerly Christ Temple. Betty was spiritual and knew the Bible. Daily, we watched our mother’s favorite routine of Bible reading and teaching her children scripture. Betty attended several elementary schools in the Kansas City area and graduated from Paseo High School in 1968. After graduating from high school, Betty worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shields for over ten years. She met Robert Sanders whom she married in 1985. During their marriage, they traveled most of the United States, which was a favorite pastime. Betty loved cats and insisted on taking them on the road with her. If she saw pets mistreated, she stole them from their owner and found new owners. Her most recent cat was Courtney; she fed him before she fed herself. She later worked at the Kansas City, Missouri Public Library. She loved education and worked on a degree during several careers. She eventually attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1998. She lost her husband, Robert, on Christmas day of the same year. Betty did not have children but spent time with many nieces and nephews, who have fond memories of her taking them swimming at Swope Park or teaching them reading. Betty had a God-given gift for teaching children how to read. If you asked her how she learned to teach reading, she would say, “Rose taught me how to read, not teachers.” For Betty, children learning to read was important. In 1998, she worked for the Kansas City, Missouri School District and retired in 2009. Betty did not mind telling district reading consultants or specialists that she knew how to teach children to read. A hilarious story that illustrated the power of teaching all children how to read was Dr. Dianne Smith’s experience with Betty. During KCMO Schools; engagement with the Balanced Literacy Project, I was a consultant tasked with visiting certain elementary schools and advising/observing teachers implementing the curriculum. The Balanced Literacy Project was a national movement, particularly targeting urban schools. Betty Jean was one of the teachers to whom I was assigned. The first day I visited her classroom, Betty Jean informed me that she was not going to use the Balanced Literacy Curriculum because she already knew how to teach her students how to read. Betty Jean said all my students know how to read. She also told me that she didn’t want me visiting her classroom. I said, “Well, Betty Jean, I won’t visit your classroom.” I told the principal that Mrs. Sanders said she knew how to teach her students how to read. The principal told me that all of her students met the grade-level reading standards. I would pass Mrs. Sanders classroom and wave, and she would smile at me!! Betty Jean was a wonderfully engaging teacher and woman. Betty Jean Sanders’ story captured how she shared her life with children and her belief in the power of reading. Betty also had a big heart and a giving spirit. If family members needed help, she did not hesitate to give her time and money. She leaves to cherish her memory of two sisters, Dr. Loyce Caruthers of Kansas City, KS; and Barbara Nunn (Tommy) of Blue Springs, MO; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, friends, and the Victorious Life Church Family. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 27, at 1:00pm at Lawrence A. Jones & Sons Funeral Chapel. Initerment Forest Hill Cem. Visitation will be 12:00pm-1:00pm at the chapel. Services entrusted to Lawrence A. Jones & Sons. Condolences may be shared on our website.

Ms. Betty Jean Sanders

June 4, 1949 - April 13, 2024