Carlene A. Sanders

Carlene spent a big parts of time with fun cousins at all the family reunions and get-to-gathers there in the German hill-country around Brenham. These cousins and relatives have continued to stay close as adults.

Including her older sister Janelda, the family of 4 traveled throughout the US where Carl was an accountant with a national construction company. Settling in Northeast Austin at age 11, the girls spent their teen years in Northeast Houston, graduating from M.B. Smiley High School. Because of overly fun and social classmates, and a killer quarter finalist football team (Astrodome), she has maintained relationships with multiple friends and classmates for all these years.

A few of her H.S. awards:

National Honor Society

Miss Personality

Dancing Coleens, Major

Magna cum Laude

Eyrie Newspaper Staff

Bowling Club (98 Pin Average)

Powder Puff Football

Outstanding American High School Student

Carlene graduated from Sam Houston State University in Dec '75 with a BA in Fashion Merchandising, and a minor in French (Note: she taught French on 2 separate occasions, and found it difficult.) After a semester of graduate classes, she left campus to begin work at Foley's in Houston. Through several jobs and a marriage to Lynn in '78, she took her husband's advice and became an educator after getting her Masters.

As an English teacher, she began teaching in Baytown for several years before the couple moved to Austin in 1984. She soon was hired at Lamar Middle School where she stayed for 25 years. These years in education were not continuous however, because her sons Trenton, was born in 1989 and 3 years later Bolton was delivered. They both attended Lamar Middle School where Momma was constantly on the scene. But the scene was a success.

A Christian since her youth, she opened her always smiling personality to her students, and as they say, "If you have a job you love, you'll never have to work".

She and Lynn retired in 2010, and soon after received the blessing of granddaughter, Fiona.

After buying a mountain lot in Lago Vista, the couple built and moved in on Halloween of 2014. She and Lynn have been living happily on Sanders' Mountain for 8 years together.

While in retirement, Carlene was involved with bible study groups with multitudes of her friends, and she was also a proud member of Altrusa, a service organization in west Travis County.

Many texts and cards were received, and they included lines like, "Loved being able to work alongside you," "Best teacher my girls ever had," "You had an infectious smile and good spirit," and "She was my North Star for so many years."

All of her worldly achievements are noteworthy, but in her final days, she would often pat her chest, smile and say, "My Jesus!" And it would be her joy if that were true for the rest of us.

A funeral service for Carlene will be held Saturday, November 19, 2022 at 9:45 AM at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78752. A graveside ceremony is following at Capital Parks Cemetery, 14501 N. IH-35 (Exit 247, 2nd Driveway). A Celebration at noon will take place at the Sanders' home in Lago Vista, and all are invited.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the American Cancer Society.

Serving as pallbearers are Sally Lohn Boone, Marilyn Sessions Dent, Arlene Reed Dittman, Debbi Westbrook Hall, Cindy Reeves Jolly, Joy Knaak Riley, Robyn Riley and Ann Francois Whitt. Honorary pallbearers are Mitzi Weller Boyles, Debbie Easter Davis and Pam King Mason.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com for the Sanders family.