Dixie Rose (Wiley) Sanders

Dixie Rose (Wiley) Sanders, 92, of Grain Valley, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, July 18,2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was born September 26, 1933, to Harold Albert Wiley and Marjorie Lois Blanche (McQuerry) Wiley, three miles west and a half mile south of
Mount Moriah, MO, in Joseph Ellsworth’s home. Dixie was the first grandchild of 37 and was born on her Grandma Carrie (Ellsworth)
McQuerry’s 40th birthday. Dixie couldn’t say McQuerry and called her Grandma Kappy, which became her name for the rest of her life.

She attended Mount Moriah and Cainsville grade schools until they moved to Kansas City in April 1944, when she was 10 years old. Dixie attended Kump and Milton Moore grade schools, then Central High School. She was a member of First Free Methodist Church in Kansas City,
later joining The Gathering Baptist Church in Independence.

On November 25, 1950, she married Calvin Lee Sanders Sr, and they were married for 51 years. Dixie worked at Montgomery Ward for 4 years, North Rock Creek Elementary School for 2 years, and at JCPenney for 25 years, until she retired in 1993. She lived in the Mount Moriah, MO area for 10 years, Kansas City, Missouri for 20 years, Chicago, Illinois for 6 years, Independence, Missouri for 47 years, and Grain Valley, Missouri for 9 years.

Dixie was a cake decorator who made several wedding cakes for her family. She was a scorekeeper for her sons’ and grandsons’ baseball games and daughters’ softball games. She spent countless hours cheering on family members playing baseball, softball, volleyball, bowling, and football, and performing in numerous plays and concerts. Dixie was an active member of Young for Heart and Red Hats. She enjoyed playing games/cards, bunco, fishing, traveling, going to the lake, and loved watching her KC Chiefs and Royals. Dixie was a compassionate caretaker for family and friends. Those who had the joy of loving and being loved by Dixie would confidently say she had never met a stranger. She was known for believing that once you were in the family, you would always be considered family to her. Dixie’s kindness extended to various charities.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin Sanders Sr, her parents, Harold and Marjorie (McQuerry) Wiley, her sisters, Leila J. (Wiley) and husband Bill Hunt, Nadine W Montgomery, her brother Gene Wiley, daughter-in-law Cherry L Sanders, sister-in-law Iva M Willis, and many beloved family and friends.

Her survivors include her 3 children, Calvin L Jr. of Independence, Randy and wife Dianna of Independence, and Mona (Sanders) Hargis of Grain Valley. A sister-in-law, Wanda Wiley of Blue Springs. Dixie is also survived by her 16 grandchildren: Andy (Tonya), Melinda, Mike, Jennifer, Garrett (Tina), Justin, Lindsey (Jon), Nik (Becky), Tyler (Cynthia), and Grant (La Ryta). In addition to her 29 great grandchildren: Colin, Sydney (Andrew), Kourtney (Chris), Tierney (Larissa) Alison, Amber (CJ), Ashlee, Bailey, Caytailyn, Ashton, Mason, Christian, Cayla, Lexi, Kayla, Kalica, Carson, Peyton, Randy, Austin, Kingstin, Neil, Casey, Iris, and Baby Hargis. As well as
her 9 great-great grandchildren: Jayden, Karsyn, Addisyn, Kaysen, Isabella, William, Danica, Kade, Violet, and several nieces and nephews. She will be missed dearly by a loving family and a wealth of friends.

Visitation will be held from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Thursday, July 30, 2026, at The Gathering Baptist Church located at 4505 S. Noland Rd, Independence, Missouri 64055. The funeral service will be on Friday, July 31, 2026, at 10:00 am at The Gathering Baptist Church. Interment to follow in Greenton Cemetery in Odessa, Missouri. Memorials suggested to Salvation Army, American Heart Association or Wayside Waifs.