Gary Sanders, Sr.

Mr. Gary Sanders, Sr., age 68, a man of God and hardworking Hart County Native, passed away on Monday, October 12, 2009 in his home.

The funeral service will be held on Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 2pm from the Hartwell Chapel of The Strickland Funeral Home. Rev. Wesley Dove will officiate and burial will follow in the Nancy Hart Memorial Park. The body is in The Strickland Funeral Home ~ Hartwell Chapel where the family will receive friends from 6-8 Saturday evening. The family is at the home and requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Radio Bible Hour, P.O. Box 99, Newport, TN, 37822-0099.

Born on March 26, 1941 in Hart County, he was a son of the late Cleo and Mozelle Sanders Sanders. Pastor of Freedom Baptist Church for several years, Mr. Sanders was recently a guest preacher at local revivals and churches. Gary considered sharing the Word of God with others as his greatest accomplishment in life. In addition to being an ordained minister, Mr. Sanders worked for Monroe Auto Equipment Company, Dow Bodische, Winn-Dixie, and Wal-Mart. While at Monroe, he coached and led the softball team to many victories, titles, and trophies over the years. After 27 years of service, Gary retired from Winn-Dixie and most recently was awarded employee of the month of April and celebrated 15 years with the Hartwell Wal-Mart. Mr. Sanders is preceded in death by his sisters, Dorothy Sanders Smith and Susan Sanders Moore; and brothers, Broughton Sanders and Stanley Sanders.

Survivors include his wife, Sylvia Seymour Sanders of the home; children, John Anthony Sanders of Atlanta, Gary Sanders, Jr. of Hartwell, Amy Sanders Cunningham and her husband James of Seattle, Washington; grandchildren, Brittany Nicole, Katlyn Miranda, and Elizabeth Jane Sanders, Grant Snyder, Claire Celesta, and Benjamin Hans Cunningham; brothers, Collier Sanders of Griffin, Hollis Sanders of Grayson, Dennis Sanders of Hartwell, and Terry Sanders of Arkansas.

Please visit www.stricklandfh.com to sign the online register.

The Strickland Funeral Home ~ Hartwell Chapel is in charge of arrangements.