Lyle Elwood Sanders, 78, of Bridgeport, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, on August 23, 2019, after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. With joyful anticipation, he looked forward to meeting his Savior; our hearts are full knowing he is finally Home. His memorial service will be held Saturday, August 31st at First Baptist Church in Bridgeport, 1402 T Street, at 2:30 p.m. Following the service, a brief inurnment service will be held at the Sanders family cemetery, which is located 12 miles west of Dalton, Nebraska, at the intersection of roads 58 and 87. Lyle apparently timed this to coincide with the kickoff of the Nebraska football season, and we would love for anyone wishing to attend his service to join us in wearing Husker attire. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of any flowers, memorials in Lyle’s honor be made in care of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, Regional West Hospice, or Bridgeport Fire Department. Online condolences may be made by viewing Lyle’s memorial page at www.bridgmanfueralhome.com. Bridgman Funeral Home in Bridgeport is entrusted with arrangements.
Lyle was born January 31, 1941 in Dalton, Nebraska, to Vernon E. (Bus) and Jessie E. (Eckert) Sanders. He grew up on the family farm west of Dalton until 1950, when the family moved to Bridgeport so they wouldn’t have to drive the difficult roads in Winter. The family continued to farm despite the move and Lyle graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1958.
He married his best friend and sweetheart, Joy Anderson on November 28, 1958. Lyle and Joy made their home back at the family farm, where Lyle ultimately took over farming responsibilities for the family and later started a seed business. Lyle and Joy raised four children on the farm where they lived for 41 years before semi-retiring to Bridgeport in 2000. Never one to sit still, Lyle continued to farm and sell seed after the move.
Lyle and Joy’s 60-plus years of marriage is the gold standard by which their children and grandchildren measure our relationships. They taught us love and forgiveness, grace, joy, and how a well-timed joke or pan of banana cake can solve nearly everything.
He was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport for over 50 years. His eyes lit up at the chance to show you the new church building or share his church family with his actual family. Lyle was a walking Husker football encyclopedia. He knew every coach, every game ending, every record, every play that should have been called differently. If anyone needs a copy of the 1995 Orange Bowl, we surely have a copy on VHS to share.
His grandkids and great-grands were the sparkle in his eyes. He knew how each was wired – what they liked to talk about, what they were interested in, never lumping them together. He taught his grandkids the proper love of Husker football, how Wile E. Coyote will never, ever, catch that Roadrunner, and the meaning of hard work. His great-grandkids range in age from a few weeks to thirteen, and a smile never left his face when they were around. They were his life’s crowning joy.
Lyle was able to travel in recent years and enjoyed fishing trips to Saratoga, Wyoming and Kodiak, Alaska with his kids. We are so grateful for these bookend trips to his life and all ofthe memories made.
Lyle is survived by his wife, Joy of Bridgeport; daughter, Shelly (Don) Bava of Westminster, Colorado; three sons, Larry (Deb) Sanders of Harrisburg, Oregon, Greg (Tonya) Sanders of Alliance, and Eric Sanders of Rifle, Colorado; 17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; sister, Jane Vick of Springfield, Missouri; two brothers, Max (Lori) Sanders of Scottsbluff and Ron (Sue) Sanders of Yakima, Washington; sister-in-law, Evelyn Daigle of Lakewood, Colorado; many nieces and nephews; and Tom Osborne.
He was preceded in death by his parents; in-laws, Lyle & Lura Anderson; brother-in-law, Roy Vick; and nephew, Steven Vick.
