Sanger gave back to the community regularly during her 101 years, including volunteering at Twice Nice Thriftique in Sedona
SEDONA, Ariz. — Known for her adventurous spirit, loving road trips with friends, and the life of any party she attended, Dallas Sanger also enjoyed giving back to the community that welcomed her with open arms.
In her final act of generosity, Sanger left a lasting gift to a mission she held so dearly. Through her final wishes, she bequeathed a significant donation to Verde Valley Sanctuary (VVS), which will support the SAFER (Survivors and Families Emergent Relief) Fund over the next three years.
“Mrs. Sanger held a deep respect for organizations that provide compassion, safety, and hope to people in times of profound need. The Sanctuary’s dedication to supporting survivors, protecting vulnerable individuals, and strengthening families throughout the community is both admirable and essential,” Patricia Steiner, trustee of Sanger’s estate, said in a letter to the VVS Board of Directors.
The amount of the donation was kept private, per Sanger’s final wishes.
VVS serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, operating a 28-bed emergency shelter and 24/7/365 crisis hotline (928-634-2511) with transitional housing options, lay legal advocacy services, community-based advocacy support, youth violence prevention education and public outreach and awareness.
A key part of the VVS program, SAFER Fund dollars help support domestic violence and sexual assault survivors with costs associated with accessing safety, healing, and security. VVS regularly works to alleviate the financial burdens facing survivors in their every-day lives by covering often-unforeseen expenses to keep them on their journey toward freedom and healing.
Some of those expenses include: attorney fees, postage and filing fees for legal documents, housing and rent payments, safety needs like home security measures, costs of lodging, utility payments, medical care, emergency food, relocation costs, transportation costs, childcare and more.
“Dallas Sanger’s extraordinary generosity reflects the life she lived and the community she loved,” VVS Chief Executive Officer Jessye Johnson said. “The gift will have a profound, lasting impact on survivors and their families by helping remove the financial barriers that can stand between someone and safety.”
Whether it means securing housing, relocating to a safer community, paying an unexpected utility bill, or repairing a vehicle, the SAFER Fund allows VVS to respond when survivors need the help most, Johnson said.
“We are deeply honored that Dallas chose Verde Valley Sanctuary as part of her legacy,” Johnson said. “Her compassion will continue to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors for years to come.”
To find out more about the SAFER Fund, visit VerdeValleySanctuary.org, navigate to the “Ways to Give” tab and click “SAFER Fund.”
Born in Wayne County, Michigan, Sanger grew up on an apple farm before graduating from Benton Harbor High School in 1942. On one of those fun road trip adventures, she met her husband Charles “Bud” Sanger and the two were married in 1956, settling on a 43-acre property outside of Golden, Colorado, for years to come.
A talented jewelry artist, seamstress and cook, Sanger and her husband eventually moved to Clarkdale in 1980 where they built their dream home. It was there she set roots down the in the Verde Valley community and began volunteering with local organizations like The Elks Club, the Humane Society, and was part of the local library board.
After Bud’s passing in 2001, Dallas relocated to Sedona where she continued to volunteer various organizations, including VVS and their Twice Nice Thriftique. She continued to live a full life, frequently gathering with friends and family at her favorite restaurants for cocktails and a good meal.
When she passed on April 19, 2026, she was a few months shy of her 102nd birthday.
About
Verde Valley Sanctuary’s mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The agency began in 1993 as a grassroots organization with a leased modular home that slept six and has grown into a 28-bed emergency shelter with transitional housing options, lay legal advocacy services, community-based advocacy support, a 24/7/365 crisis hotline (928-634-2511) and a staff that takes pride in its youth violence prevention education and public outreach and awareness. VVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and qualifying charitable organization for the Arizona Tax Credit. Federal Tax ID: #86-071314; QCO Code: #20041. Visit VerdeValleySanctuary.org for more information.