Ila Joy (Grey) Sanderson

It is with great sadness and sorrow that we announce the passing of our dearest mother, wife, kookum, chapan, sister, auntie, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, godmother, and friend, Ila Joy Sanderson.

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the age of 61 years old, Ila passed away suddenly and peacefully on her journey to the spirit world with her family by her side. Ila was born on December 10, 1963, in The Pas, Manitoba. She lived most of her life in Moose Lake, MB.

Ila was known as a powerful warrior woman, renowned healer and medicine woman. In her lifelong spiritual work, she touched many lives with her traditional ways of living on mother earth, honoring the ancestors, spirit life, and in loving all people alike. Ila’s spirit name was Earth Woman. For 20 years, she worked closely with her husband, Norman, when they organized and hosted the annual Sun Dance Ceremonies for our community, which included people from other provinces.

Ila had a great personality and a sense of humor, she was compassionate, loving and caring, especially when family was involved. She would always prepare big meals for every special occasion whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a baby shower or an anniversary celebration. Ila was very adamant to get things done when it came to family, events and celebrations. She loved to interact with children and adults. She also liked to play bingo, where she met people and made many friends. She liked to joke around with family, friends and co-workers and her favorite saying was “Geez”, and her little laugh “sss -sss- sss”, we will surely miss her silliness.

Ila received her education at Moose Lake School. She furthered her education by attending workshops, conferences, and courses where she attained many certificates. For 13 years she worked as a Director at Flora Martin Memorial Day Care, which was named after her kookum, Flora Martin. Ila loved working with children of all ages.

Ila’s last employment was with Mosakahiken Jordan’s Principle at Mosakahiken Cree Nation, where she met people, interacted with parents and children, made many friends, and taught staff to cook all kinds of food. She started working April, 2022, she was hired as a Child Development Worker, and then she was promoted as an Intake Worker and again promoted to Land Base Coordinator. Ila took her job seriously, very adamant to get things done and making sure everything was in place, she was a very hard worker. The staff at Mosakahiken Jordan’s Principle will miss her presence at work.                                                                                                                              

Ila Joy was united in marriage to Norman Sanderson on February 18, 1980, at the St. John’s Anglican Church. They celebrated their 45th anniversary on February 18, 2025. They were blessed with 8 beautiful children, raised 4 of their grandkids and adopted one. Ila loved them all as her own kids. She enjoyed spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren whom she loved and cherished dearly. Ila liked joking around with her husband Norman, especially when a picture of a gorilla or a monkey pops up whether it’s on the iPhone or TV, she would say to him,” how did they get your picture?”, and they would both laugh.

Ila leaves to cherish her memory of her husband, Norman and 10 children, Autumn, Chasity (Drake), Christopher (Carla), Herbert ( Stephanie), Liberty (Markey), Norma (Terry), Ainsley, Linda, Len, Charlene (Leroy): grandchildren – Nadia, Leroy Jr, Liam, Levi, Isla, Len Jr., Theodore, Bonnie, Micah, Laura, Sunrise, Krista, Nadine, Diamond, Adrianna, Paris, Chanel, Marshall, Ariana, Larissa, Cruz, Lille, Herb Jr., Summer, Roman, Zachariah, Zendaya, Zayden, Chasity, Christopher , 5 great grandchildren- Elianna, Elysian, Dvante, Elijah, Kayaan.

Ila is also survived by her sisters- Irma (Joseph) Lambert, Flora (Lester) Bignell; brother- Abel (Marjorie) Grey; auntie - Brenda Martin; sisters-in-law- Pauline Sanderson, Carol Grey, Verna Grey, Linda Lathlin; brothers-in-law- Jason (Georgina) Sanderson, Michael Sanderson, Albert Sanderson; Godchildren – Noreen Sanderson, Roy Martin, Saydee Grey, Rachel Beardy/Grey, Caitlin Bignell/Nasekapow, Carson Patchinose, Logan Martin; nieces - Pamela, Rebecca, Lynne, Whitney, Marilyn, Lydia, Janet, Noreen, Samantha, Verna, Edna, Lucy, Doris, June; nephews – Chief Reuben Grey, William, Derrick, Eugene, Roy Jr., Tyson, Lester Jr., Joseph, David, Douglas, Ernest, Andy, Roderick, Fred,  

Ila Joy was predeceased by her parents- Rachel and Bert (Herbert) Grey; brothers and sisters-in-law- Roderick (Virginia) Grey, Zaccheus Grey , Percy (Maria) Grey, Samuel (Elizabeth) Grey, Jonas Grey, Morris Grey, Joseph and Frederick; sister- Flora Jean (Raymond) Tobacco; granddaughter – Grace Audrey Maryann Sanderson; grandparents -  Flora and John Martin, Jean and Frederick Grey (York Landing); aunties and uncles- Bart (Elizabeth) Martin, Abel (Dorothy) Martin, John (Joyce) Martin, Archie (Mariam) Martin, Isabella Martin, Betsy, Cecilia, Mary (John) Beardy, Andrew, Thomas, and Simon Beardy;  mother and father-in-law- Laura and Theodore Sanderson; sister-in-law- Cynthia (Angus) Bignell; brothers-in-law- Theodore (Lowly) Sanderson, Roland Sanderson; Godchildren – Kendara Ballantyne; nieces – Lorna, Annette, Eleanor, Sarah, Flora; nephews – Glen, Delbert, Peter, Phillip, Brian, James, Frank, Norbert, Jonas Jr. If we forgot anyone it was not intentional