Donald Lee Sanders

Donald Lee Sanders (also known as Duck or T.K. Duck) 73, a loving husband, father, grandfather great grandfather and friend passed away on August 14, 2023, at University of Kansas Medical Center after a brief illness. He was born April 27, 1950, to Eli and Willie Sanders in Kansas City, Missouri. Donald was the youngest of ten children.

Donald graduated from Lincoln High School in 1969. After graduation he enlisted in the United States Army and served in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1972 and was Honorably Discharged for his service.

Upon returning to Kansas City, Donald started his own company called Sanders and Sons Trucking. Donald was no stranger to hard work. He worked for Ryder Student Transportation Services as a bus driver and retired from the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) as a bus driver after twenty years of service. He was awarded KCTA Grand Master Driver 2013 and KCTA Distinguished Driver 2014.

Donald was a member of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church, St. Therese Senior Center, Knights of Peter Claver Walter Allen and Benjamin Givens Council 57 3rd Degree, Fr. Phillip Assembly #17 4th Degree, 11th Armored Cavalry's Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia and the Blackhorse Association, Inc.

Donald was a collector of many things, baseball, KC Chiefs, Coca Cola memorabilia, and the most treasured of his collections, model trains.

Donald loved his Sanders family and had a special relationship with so many of his nephews, nieces and was very instrumental in keeping the annual Sanders reunion going.

Donald was preceded in death by both parents, Eli and Willie Sanders; four brothers, Roy Sanders, Willis Sanders, Fred Sanders, and Eli (Buster) Sanders Jr., four sisters, Nora Shirley, Leonna Hutton, Mattie Sanders, and Barbara Ruffin.

To cherish his memory he leaves his loving wife of 33 years, Sharon Jones-Sanders; one sister Jackie Sanders Turner, a son, Michael Sanders; two daughters, Ladonna Sanders and LaShay Lewis, three special children, Cheryll (Darrell) Hill, Elaina (Fred) Anderson and Steven (Ayonda) Jones all of Kansas City, Missouri, 18 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, and a host of in-laws, nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.