Obituary: Isabelle Peck Sanders
October 14, 1933 – February 7, 2025
February 19, 2025 
Isabelle Peck Sanders, 1933-2025, with her dog Charley.
Isabelle Sanders, of Waterbury, Vermont, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2025, at the age of 91. Belle, as she was affectionately known, was born on October 14, 1933, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Mary Livek Peck and Joseph H. Peck, Sr. Her life was a tapestry of love, dedication, and unwavering faith.
Belle's academic pursuits led her to the University of Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and later worked as a teacher in the Dallas public school system. Belle's life took a serendipitous turn when she met Robert Sanders during what was supposed to be a three-day church retreat in Princeton, New Jersey, in the winter of 1963. Their love story was nothing short of extraordinary, with Bob proposing just nine days after their initial meeting at a reception at the Princeton Seminary. They married less than five months later in Dallas, surrounded by friends and family, almost all of whom were meeting them as a couple for the first time.
Belle and Bob's life blossomed together as they raised their two children, Mark and David. Their lives were enriched by their deep involvement in various Presbyterian church communities over the years, where Bob served as the senior pastor from Utica, New York, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and finally Greenwich, Connecticut. Belle complemented Bob’s ministry tremendously through her loving spirit and engagement with every parish in countless ways. This further deepened her faith, a pursuit that continued throughout her life through her avid reading and ongoing exploration of Christian theology.
After moving to Princeton in 1981, Belle's career continued in Manhattan, a city she loved, and commuted to daily while working for the Public Relations Society of America until her retirement.
Vermont held a special place in Belle’s and Bob's hearts. They spent many summers vacationing there and eventually built their dream home in Waterbury in 1978. When they retired in 1990, they chose to embrace the beauty of Vermont, moving permanently to Waterbury to start a wonderful new chapter in their lives. Belle quickly became active in the community through volunteer work and meeting new friends while playing bridge and mahjong. She was a devoted member of the St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe for over 30 years where she helped form a women’s spirituality group in which she continued to remain active at the time of her death. She always looked forward to her weekly gatherings with her close loving friends in her St. John’s community.
Belle leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion. She is survived by her two children, David Sanders and his wife Bronwen, of Fairfield, Connecticut, and Mark Sanders of Manhattan, in addition to many nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her brother Joseph H. Peck, Jr., and her husband, Bob, who passed away in 2020 after 63 happy years together.
A memorial service to celebrate Belle's life will be held on March 22 at St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in Princeton, New Jersey, where a small graveside service will take place later this spring.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either the St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1175, Stowe, VT 05672, or Waterbury Ambulance Service Inc., P.O. Box 95, Waterbury Center, VT 05677 or online at waterburyambulance.org.
Belle's spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.