Muriel Helen Saunders
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A - March 8, 2012
Muriel Helen Saunders died on
March 5, 2012, of complications
f r om A l z h e ime r ' s D i s e a s e i n
Grand Junction, Colorado. She
was 88 years old.
Muriel was an identical twin
born to Arvid (Harvey) Reynold
Hagstrom and Lena Gertrude
Sheehan Hagstrom in Whitman,
Massachusetts on September 24,
1923. She and her twin, Marilyn, were mirror twins, which means
one twin is right handed and the other left handed. Muriel was the
left-handed twin.
She graduated from Whitman High School in June 1941. Following
the outbreak of WWII she and her twin sister took civil service
exams and moved to Washington D.C. where Muriel worked as a
secretary for the Pentagon. After WWII, Muriel worked as a secretary
for the US Army in Germany. At one point during her career
she worked in the same building where the Nuremburg trials were
held. Sometimes she would sit in on the trials during her coffee or
lunch breaks.
She met her husband of 57 years, Richard “Dick” Paul Saunders, in
Munich Germany where he was serving as an Army doctor for the
American Occupation Troops. They were married on February 24,
1951. Returning to the US in 1952, they lived in Denver and Durango
before settling in Grand Junction in 1958 with their two children,
Anne and Paul.
Muriel was a devoted wife and mother. She served as a room
mother and PTA officer at her children's elementary school. She
volunteered in St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary. She never missed one
of her children's games, plays or recitals. Muriel was a natural athlete
and loved to golf, bike, ski, and play tennis. She taught herself
to play the piano and speak Spanish. She will be remembered by her
children as a gracious, kind, and loving person - a truly great lady.
Muriel is survived by her two children, Anne P. Saunders of Grand
Junction, and Paul J. Saunders II of San Francisco; a sister, Joyce M.
Hagstrom Lake (Brian) of Bradenton, Florida, and a brother, Donald
E. Hagstrom (Linnea) of Clinton, Connecticut. She is preceded in
death by her husband, Richard P. Saunders; her parents, her sisters,
Marie L. Hagstrom, and Marilyn M. Ackerman, and her brother,
Harvey Hagstrom.
No services are planned at this time. Donations may be made to
Mesa County Libraries, Children Center, 530 Grand Ave., Grand
Junction, CO 81501 or the Alzheimer's Association, 2232 N 7th St,
Grand Junction, CO 81501.
Muriel's family would like to offer their heartfelt thanks to the
nurses, caregivers, and staff at Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Care for
their loving and compassionate care of Muriel over the past seven
years. You were terrific and we are forever grateful to you.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A - Notice - March 8, 2012
Muriel Saunders, 88,
Grand Junction, died March 5,
2012, at St. Mary’s Hospital.
No services are planned.
Survivors include one son,
Paul of San Francisco; one
daughter, Anne Saunders of
Grand Junction; one brother,
Donald Hagstrom of Connecticut;
and one sister, Joyce Lake
of Florida.
