Ralph D. Sanders, 91, Wausau, passed away on Friday, June 21, 2024, at Our House Senior Living.

He was born December 2, 1932, in Wausau, son of the late Robert Sanders and Elsie (Bentz) Sanders. On February 14, 1953, he married the love of his life, Cecilia Walkowski in Wausau. She preceded him in death March 27, 2017.

Ralph served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force during the Korean War from 1950-1955 as a member of the P-51 aircraft maintenance crew.

After the war, Ralph was employed at Rosemurgy Motors Wausau and Pirwitz Buick Pontiac Schofield. In 1972, he started Sanders Collision Service in Weston and was self-employed there until he retired and sold the business in 2000.

Ralph loved working on, driving, and showing old cars and collected many antique cars and trucks over the years. He and his wife, Ceil, traveled to many cars shows. Ralph and Ceil also enjoyed visiting casinos and once traveled the country on Route 66 to California. Ralph was a member of the Wausau Antique Auto Club, the Moose Lodge, and a life member of both the American Legion and Elks Club.

Besides his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Ralph D. Sanders II, two brothers, James Sanders and Robert Sanders, and two sisters, Mary Lou (Arnold) Salzman and Shirley (John) Kutil. He is survived by one sister, Sylvia Sue (Robert) Knapp, two sisters-in-law, Carole Sanders and Jude Walkowski, two godsons, Michael (Laurie) Kutil and John Kutil, and many other nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at Our House Senior Living for their compassionate care of Ralph the past three years. He enjoyed living there and was very fond of many of his caregivers and also the friends he made there.

A Celebration of Life will be held at John J. Buettgen Funeral Home in Schofield, on

Friday, June 28, 2024, at 10:00 am. Family and friends are welcome to attend.  Military Honors will be held at 11:15 a.m.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.honorone.com