Joseph Sander

SARASOTA - Joseph Raymond Sander was born July 15, 1934 in St Louis, MO to Earl Sander and Sarah Gutenberg Sander. His father died when Joe was 12, and the family struggled financially. He entered the Navy following high school graduation, where he discovered his natural artistic abilities.

Following his discharge, Joe worked at McDonald Corporation, where he illustrated the how-to manuals for the astronauts flying the Mercury and Gemini spaceships. He completed 9 years of night school at Washington University in St Louis, while working and raising a family.

Venturing out on his own, Joe created an advertising agency, Joe Sander Advertising, which he ran for 20 years. After selling the agency, he bought a printing company, Business Cards Tomorrow, that produced over a million cards a week. He sold that company and retired after 16 years.

Joe married his first wife, Charleene Gitel, in 1958, and they raised two children, Steven Sander and Karen Sander. Charleen passed away in 1986, and he married Barbara Zwick Lewin in 1989. After retiring, Joe and Barb followed their dream, and lived and traveled on their boat, the “Never Better” for 5 years. They completed “the Great Loop,” circumnavigating the eastern US and Canada, earning their BaccaLOOPperate Degrees.

After selling the boat, and their house in St Louis, the couple settled into their home in Lakewood Ranch, FL. Joe found some poker buddies, and became an avid nature photographer, especially enjoying the company of a group of like-minded photographers.

His daughter, Karen, died in 2022, but Joe is survived by his wife of 35 years, Barbara; his sisters, Ruby (the late Jay) Lapin, Jean (the late Bernie Cohen, the late Jack) Fridken, his brother, Leonard (Mae) Sander; his son, Steven, his step-children, Cynthia (Alan) Siegel and Bradley (Elizabeth) Lewin; 5 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, April 16, at 1:00pm At Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge, Sarasota, FL.

For those who live out of town, and are unable to attend in person, please click on the link below. https://www.templesinai-sarasota.org/live

Shiva will be at the family home on Tuesday, April 16, and Wednesday, April 17 at 7:00pm, Shiva minyan at 7:30pm 7762 US Open Loop, Lakewood Ranch, FL

Memorial contributions preferred at The Audubon Society or Temple Sinai. Condolences may be shared at www.rtsfunerals.com Palms Chapel.