Salvador Sanchez

Salvador Sanchez, age 91, passed into the loving arms of God, on April 8, 2026, at MercyOne Clinton after a short illness.

Salvador was born on October 7, 1934, in East Chicago, Indiana, the son of Everado and Esperanza (Castro) Sanchez. After the loss of his mother at the age of 10, Salvador moved to Savanna to live with his grandparents. He graduated from Savanna High School in 1954.Following high school, Salvador enlisted in the United States Navy and proudly served his country as a Seaman from 1954 to 1958, sailing in the Far East.

 On April 18, 1964, he married the love of his life, Kathleen Patton. Together they raised five children and were blessed to celebrate 61 years of marriage.Salvador spent 32 years working on railroad maintenance crews, specializing in derailments, with the Milwaukee, Soo, and Canadian Pacific Northwestern railroads. He was a hardworking man who took great pride in his work and treasured the friendships he built over the years, especially enjoying time with past workmates at the annual railroad picnics.

Above all, Salvador was devoted to his family. He never missed his children’s sporting events, often sitting where he could see everything from the top row at wrestling meets and cheering on local high school teams. His grandchildren meant the world to him, and he always wanted the very best for them. He was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose strength, generosity, and steady presence will be deeply missed.

Salvador enjoyed many simple pleasures in life. He loved gardening, especially growing tomatoes and peppers to make salsa. He liked bowling, a hobby he enjoyed from his younger days as a pinsetter at the bowling alley. He faithfully followed the Bears, Notre Dame, and the Hawkeyes. Known for his big heart and broad shoulders, Salvador was always willing to help anyone at any time and served as a mentor to several young people through the years.

Salvador will be dearly missed by his wife Kathleen of Savanna; three sons, Dean Sanchez of Davenport, Iowa, Patrick Sanchez of Savanna, and Steven Sanchez of Savanna; his two daughters, Hope (Merritt) Dann of Clinton and Joy (Shane) Sanchez-Alwin of Sebeka, Minnesota; eight grandchildren, Ariel (Curtis) Sanchez, Darien (Taylor) Sanchez, Tawny (Trevor) Moss, Zoey (Jared) Dann, Brooke (Brandon) Clark, Riley (Dariann) Alwin, Skyler Schoon, and Ashley Saenz; and 13 great-grandchildren, Weston, Talitha, Colt, Dylan, Drake, Jocelyn, Phoenix, Steven, Lakin, Carden, Harper, Presley, and Samuel.

A celebration of life service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Law-Jones Funeral Home in Savanna, with visitation from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. prior to the service. Military rites will be accorded during the service.