St. George, Utah- Thora Ballard Sanders, age 97, passed away December 22, 2009 in St. George, Utah. She was born December 20, 1912 to Harvey and Emma Bradshaw Ballard. She eloped to Junction, Utah to marry Owen Sanders. Owen was supposed to be single for the job he had, so they did not let anyone know they were married for quite a while. When they finally told her parents, he made sure that Emma was there to be a buffer between Harvey and him. They were later married in the St. George Temple. Thora was preceded in death by her husband, Owen Sanders, her parents and sisters, Leah (Gene) Wadsworth, Edith (Don) Hutchings, and Edna (Pat) Koricil, and brother, Durward Ballard, as well as daughters-in-law Naomi Stevens Sanders and Sharlene Prince Sanders, and granddaughter-in-law Leslie Blake Sanders. She is survived by her son, Ronald Ballard Sanders, Cedar City, and daughter Jeraldine Sanders, Hurricane, and 5 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren, and one brother, Calvin (Jean) Ballard. Thora was an independent woman who taught her children to be independent. She would move her family as her husbands job would send him to different states and she would have to follow him in these moves, during the 1930's. She served in many church jobs after they returned to Hurricane, Utah and enjoyed being a ward and stake Sunday School secretary as well as an MIA leader and a counselor in the ward Relief Society. She enjoyed her work in community activities, serving as a display leader for the Home Arts division in the Washington County Fair, a member of the Alice Louise Reynolds book club (now called the Color Country Book Club). She was in the Lady Lions and worked with them in activities supporting the Lions club. Thora raised a garden, canned much of her fruits and vegetables, made her own catsup, pickles and mincemeat, shot, skinned, cleaned and processed her own deer, would clean and process rabbits, chickens and turkeys and help when the family would slaughter a pig. She made soap, sewed, and enjoyed life as she taught and supported her family. The family would like to thank the Hurricane EMTs for the many times they have been to the house and for the transport services they do. We are grateful for their training and expertise. We would like to thank Dr. Kent McDonald for all of the care he has given Mom. We look to him as a fantastic professional, caring, and exceptionally talented Doctor as well as a friend. His staff is extremely professional and wonderful to work with. We appreciate the staff and the care given to mom at the Dixie Regional Medical Center, each time she has been there, we have had excellent care and support. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Red Cliffs Regional Care Center for the wonderful help they gave during the many times that Mom has been in their facility. We admire the talent and high quality care that every staff member gave. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hurricane 2nd ward LDS Chapel, 155 East 1050 North, Hurricane, UT. Visitations will be held Monday, December 28, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Hurricane Valley Mortuary, 140 North Main Street, Hurricane, UT and from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. at the chapel prior to services. A family prayer will be at 10:35 a.m. Interment will be in the Hurricane City Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to the care Metcalf Hurricane Valley Mortuary 435-635-9922.