A well-liked and respected WIAA referee from Manitowoc has died following a moped accident in the city over the past weekend.
68-year old Steve Sanders passed away last evening at St. Vincent Hospital, according to friends who reached out to SeehaferNews.com this morning.
According to Manitowoc Police Chief Nick Reimer, Sanders may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash about 8:30 Saturday morning in the 700-block of South 35th Street. He sustained a minor facial injury in the mishap, but had lost consciousness by the time emergency personnel arrived at the accident scene.
Sanders was a longtime referee of area and state high school sports activities and a member of the Manitowoc County Officials Association. He was also an enshrinee in the Lakeshore All-Sports Hall of Fame and a current member of the Hall of Fame’s Executive Committee.
Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels, who would call games with Sanders on a regular basis, posted his condolences on Facebook. He actually called the Valders/Two Rivers football game last week, and said the last thing he ever said to Sanders was, “See you next week Friday!”.
Nickels called Sanders “One of the most God-fearing men I have ever met.”
