Floyd Lester Sanner was born June 23, 1924, to Oscar & Clara Sanner in Lancaster,Minnesota.  He passed away peacefully Sunday, April 16, 2017, in Hallock, Minnesota.  Floyd was the 4th of 10 children.  He attended school in Lancaster, graduating in 1943.  The morning after graduation he took the train to Fort Snelling to begin his tour of duty in the US Army.  He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II with over 160 days in continuous combat in Luzon, the Philippines.  He earned the Silver Star for gallantry in action. Floyd married Margaret (Peggy) Hunter April 17, 1948, at Sion Lutheran Church in Lancaster.  They lived their entire lives in Lancaster, raising a family of four children.  Together with Floyd's brother Glenn, they owned and operated Sanner's Store for 36 years, retiring in 1986.

Floyd was an active member of the community, serving on the fire department, including fire chief, the Businessmen's Association, Lions Club, American Legion Post 214, and was also  on the church council, including a time as council chair, and usher.  Floyd's desire to serve his community prompted him to run for county commissioner.  He was on the Kittson County Board of Commissioners, including the Welfare Board, and as Chair of the County Board for many years.  Floyd spent many years driving school bus and hauling beets, which he considered a very enjoyable job.  He was a founding member of COLEG, and the Avenue of Flags at Riverside Memorial Gardens. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing cards, bowling, and a friendly game of dice at the local restaurant.  He had a passion for maintaining his yard, and loved to be outside raking, mowing, or just cleaning up.  He heated his home with an outdoor wood furnace, and loved the trek to the stove to stoke it.  He also had a passion for volunteering, and enjoyed being able to deliver Meals on Wheels, and more recently wash dishes for the quilters at Sion Lutheran. He was an eternal optimist, always hopeful, and forward thinking.  He had the foresight to purchase land that became Sanchijebanobe, a family hunting partnership.  His goal for Sanchijebanobe was to influence all of the members to be stewards of the land, and enjoy nature. Floyd was a role model for many in the community and his family.  He cared deeply for the community of Lancaster, especially his neighborhood, and spoke often of all the angels (caring people) who surrounded him.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Doris Baker and Eunice Yakes; four brothers, Clayton, Lowell (Chassen), Allen, & Royce; three brothers in law, Don Yakes, Meril Baker, Jimmy Turner; three sisters in law, Lois Sanner, Peggy Sanner, & Dolores Sanner; and his wife, Peggy (in 2014).  In the last years of Peggy's life Floyd was her awesome caregiver.  Floyd is survived by his children, Susan (Bob) Christenson, of Blaine, MN, Mary Jo (Lon) Jerome, of North Las Vegas, NV, John (Juli) Sanner, of St. Joseph, MN,  Bill (Carol) Sanner, of Thief River Falls, MN, thirteen grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, one brother, Glenn (Harriet) of Lancaster, two sisters, Muriel (Dennis) Keil, of Roseville, MN, Carol Turner of Williamsburg, VA, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are scheduled for Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Sion Lutheran Church, Lancaster. Interment with full military honors will be in Riverview Memorial Garden Cemetery, Lancaster with military honors accorded by the Lancaster American Legion Post 214 and the Minnesota National Guard. Pastor Galen Nordin and Pastor Kathy Levenhagen, presiding; Hannah Dobias, soloist, Galen Nordin, soloist and Jacki Przekwas, organist. Casket bearers will be grandsons, Nick and  Nate Sanner,  Chris, Matt, Jeff and John Christenson, Kyle Dobias and Lon Jerome II. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the service.