Elizabeth Rose “Betty” Sanders, 93, peacefully entered into her eternal reward on February 20, 2026, surrounded by friends. 

Betty was born on October 20, 1932 to Joseph and Elizabeth Kwitzky in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended Bayless High School, where she played sports and developed a love for theater. Following a stint in modeling, she met radio broadcaster Bob Sanders. They were married on May 15, 1954. 

Children soon followed, with Clarke born in 1955, and Lisa following in 1957. Betty spent the first several years of marriage at home caring for the children and supporting Bob in his illustrious radio career, which moved the family from St. Louis, to Kansas City, to Wichita, and eventually settling in the Chicago suburbs. 

In 1972 Betty joined Bob doing the mid-day show on WBBM in Chicago. Together they provided a reprieve from the traditionally all-news station by discussing whatever was of interest to them, engaging in playful banter, conducting a wide array of celebrity interviews, ad libbing commercials, and asking hourly quiz questions. Their show was a hit for over a decade until a critical new general manager told them to hit the road. 

The dynamic duo served as goodwill ambassadors for the Salvation Army for a brief time before following another radio lead in New York. They worked at WMCA for about 2 years. The joint Bob and Betty radio career concluded with a stint at WISN in Milwaukee. 

Bob and Betty retired to Williams Bay, Wisconsin, where years before they had purchased a little weekend getaway cottage near Lake Geneva. They added on to the cottage to create a spacious and inviting retirement home where they entertained family and guests for many years. Their adventures continued by means of traveling, including to places such as Canada, England, Japan, Mexico, and much of the United States. But their most frequent trips were to Kansas to visit Clarke and his family, and Paris, France, to visit Lisa. 

Betty transitioned to the role of full-time caregiver following Bob’s stroke in 1993. She served and loved him unconditionally for 59 years until he passed on October 13, 2013. At this time Betty was 81, but still not ready to retire. She took on the role of manager of a senior living facility, where she was inconspicuous about her age since she was older than many of the residents!

Finally, in 2014 Betty made her final move to Friendship (now Encore) Village in Schaumburg, Illinois. She continued to stay active, participating in the Silver Games, helping with the in-house television station (including occasionally leading the daily morning prayer), participating in an improv comedy group, and leading various programs within the community. 

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her admiring husband, Bob, her brother, Albert, and her daughter, Lisa. Left to mourn her passing are her son Clarke (Lillian) of Salina, Kansas; son-in-law, Dominique (Jan) Finas of Ketchum, Idaho; grandchildren Gina (Rusty) Lueger of Beloit, Kansas, Miles (KayLa) Sanders of Wamego, Kansas; Emily (Steve) Uffman of Kansas City, Kansas; and great grandchildren Rebekah, Chiara, Paul, Karolyn, Adam, Jacinta, Fulton, Abigail, Caleb, and Becket Lueger; Persephone and Neo Sanders, and Alice, Francis, and Sylvie Uffman. 

A Memorial Celebration of the Life of Elizabeth “Betty” Sanders will take place at 11:00AM on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Encore Village Assembly Hall, 350 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, Illinois. Graveside service will follow at 3:30PM at Spring Grove Cemetery in Delavan, Wisconsin. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy memorials are requested in Betty’s name to: The Salvation Army and Doctors Without Borders.

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Derrick Funeral Home of Lake Geneva is honored to be assisting Betty's family.