Wendell was born on June 7, 1923, on the family farm near Searsboro to Roy and Mildred Greenly Sanders. He attended rural school and assisted with his father and later with his uncle in farming. On February 12, 1943, he was married to Betty Louise Sanders in Maryville, Missouri and to this union was born three children, Edgar Roy, Harold Wayne and Jane Ann. He was inducted into the United States Army on February 9, 1943 and served in Germany and France. Following the war he returned to Montezuma. In January of 1949, the family moved to Phoenix, where he worked for the Phoenix Water Association for 9 ' years. The couple moved to Deep River and farmed for a few years. From May of 1966 to July of 1985 he worked in the Buildings and Grounds Department from Grinnell College. Following the death of his wife, he was married to JoAnne Ward in 1979. The couple lived in Gilman and they enjoyed camping, playing cards and making lawn ornaments. He is survived by his wife, JoAnne Sanders of Gilman; two sons, Edgar Sanders and his wife, Gerri of Grinnell and Harold Sanders of Blue Springs, MO; one daughter, Jane Ann Vargason and her husband, Kenny of Montezuma; two step daughters, Sheryl Potter and her husband, Kevin of Benton, Kentucky and Linda Bertolette of Marshalltown; one step son, Jim Ward and his wife, Susie of Gilman; his grandchildren, Mark, Mathew, Bradley and Melissa Sanders and Rob and Jamey Gibson; his great grandchildren, Jayden, Colin, Brett and Drew Gibson, Jacob, Gage, Breanna and Jena Sanders; his step grandchildren, Dustin Bear, J.C. Ward, Ethan and Garret Potter; one step great granddaughter, Beth Ann Bertolette; and two sisters, Glema Wiley and her husband, Eldon of Oskaloosa and Gail Sanders of Oskaloosa. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty; his parents; one grandson; and two sisters, Opal Thompson and Pauline Pargeon.