Obituary: Ryan Sanders
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Ryan M. Sanders, 30, born June 24, 1981, passed away Monday Sept. 5, 2011, at Indiana University Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Ind., after a 30-year battle with a congenital heart defect.
He is survived by his wife, Destinie Dawn (Burgh) Sanders; a stepson, Tristyn W. Monges of Mishawaka, Ind.; father, Michael A. (Julie Lindstrom) Sanders of Osceola, Ind.; mother, Tammy G. Boswell of Harrisburg; twin sister, Melissa G. (James R. Hair Sr.) Sanders of South Bend, Ind.; half-brother, Michael M.J. Sanders of Mishawaka, Ind.; half-sister, Dawn M. Dooley of Stonefort; his brothers from another mother, Andrew "Dewey" (April) and Adam Rigley of Osceola, Ind.; and his mother-in-law, Tracey Bope of Mishawaka, Ind.
Also surviving are a grandmother, Nina Sanders of Mishawaka, Ind.; great-grandmother, Willie Klopenstine of Mishawaka, Ind., grandmother, Virginia (Marty) Miltenberger of Granger, Ind., great-aunt, Jackie (Mark) Collins of Osceola, Ind.; great-uncle, Dr. Paul (Suzanne) Guise of Indianapolis, Ind.; aunts and uncles, Jerry and Teresa Sanders of Elmhurst, Jane Sanders of Phoenix, Ariz., Lisa and Dan Dallich of Osceola, Ind., Yvette and Tim Gordy of Osceola, Ind., Charles Jr. and Wendy Tidwell of Mishawaka, Ind. and Phillip Miltenberger of Osceola, Ind., along with 22 cousins. He was uncle to Dakota Sanders of Harrisburg, Gabrielle Sanders and James Hair Jr. of South Bend, Ind., Julia and James Jr. Keith of Stonefort, Haley and Chelcie Sanders of Mishawaka, Ind., and Blake, Brian and Lilly Rigley of Osceola, Ind.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Lucy Guise; his grandfather, James Sanders; and his aunt, Susan (Sanders) DeLaurelle.
Ryan graduated from Penn High School, even though it took longer than it should have per Ryan. He was a member of the Club 15 AC and was most improved bowler for the 2010-2011 season. He was an avid Tony Stewart and NASCAR fan and recorded every race so he could go back and see if there was anything he missed the first time and why Tony didn't win. He was a Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colt, fan and glad he got to see them win the Super Bowl finally, was really looking forward to maybe going to the 2012 Super Bowl since it was going to be in Indianapolis, but only if the Colts were involved. He was a New York Yankee fan as he liked to remind his dad, so ESPN and the SPEED Channel were always in his TV line up. He may be physically gone but he is forever in our memories and stories.
Per Ryan's wishes there will be no viewing or services, but a celebration of his life from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept, 17, 2011, at Willow Creek Valley Retreat, 14010 E. Jefferson Blvd, Mishawaka, Ind. Please bring chairs if you have them and stories as we celebrate his awesome life. Please send donations to Riley's Children Hospital or Ronald McDonald House, Indianapolis, Ind. Arrangements were entrusted to the Hahn Funeral Home, Mishawaka, Ind.
To leave the family an online condolence or to share memories with the family, please visit our website at www.hahnfuneralhomes.com.