Darlene Louise “Dittmer” Bohnert Sanders, 56, of Ballwin died March 22, 2018, at her home. Ms. Sanders was born Dec. 21, 1961, in Ferguson, the daughter of Frances Bohnert of Dittmer and the late Raymond Bohnert, and moved to Dittmer as a young child. She attended Grandview and Hillsboro schools and then earned an associate degree from Jefferson College and a bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Missouri in St. Louis, both while on a volleyball scholarship. She worked as a surveyor for the Missouri Division of Aging, a child support technician for the Missouri Division of Child Support Enforcement and as a community support worker for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. In 1996, she earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Maryville University in St Louis County and went to work as a physical therapist for Mercy Hospital St Louis, then for Mercy Home Care until illness forced her retirement in May of 2017. She was inspired by her oldest sister, Linda, who had Down Syndrome, to help people with mental and physical challenges. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, canning, reading, writing poetry, walking, traveling to the beach, fishing, stained glass and hanging out with her friends and family. She loved the country and all of her many animals, referring to them as her “Fuzzy Faces” and giving each one she came across a name, including strays.
She is survived by her wife, Jackie Carrol; her mother Frances Bohnert; five siblings: Kenneth (Sandi “Chemo Sabe”) Bohnert of Dittmer, John (Suzy Danforth) Bohnert of Osage Beach, Tina (Jerry) Herrmann of Hazelwood, Russell (Kay) Bohnert of Florissant and Diane (Steve Knoblock) Bohnert of Dittmer; her parents-in-law: Judy and Perk Perkins of St. Louis County; two brothers-in-law: Jeff (Elizabeth) Perkins and Steve (Angela) Perkins; and a number of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by a sister: Linda Bohnert.
A celebration of life will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 22, at Schrader Funeral Home in Ballwin. Memorials may be made to the Humane Society or any favorite animal charity, or friends may honor her memory through a random act of kindness. Arrangements are under the direction of Schrader Funeral Home.