On July 25, 2009 Don Sanders, at age 70, was called home to be with the Lord. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends at home.. Welcoming him in Heaven is his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his father, Burley Cirgus Sanders and mother, Katie Lou Sanders, brother, Billy Carroll Sanders, sister, Joan Elizabeth Barrett and infant sisters, Martha Sue and Cindy Lou Sanders. Also there to welcome him is Sgt. John C. Turner, his mentor and father-in-law. Don was born in Aberdeen, Mississippi on April 28, 1939 and spent his early years helping his father and brothers farm. His family moved to Columbus in 1951. He was first employed by his father at a dairy farm and Jet Dog food canning plant. Uncle Sam begged him to join the army and he did gladly. His first duty station was Wildflecken, Germany where he met his wife of 44 years, Susan Turner Sanders. They have two children; son John Kevin Sanders, Jacksonville, FL, and daughter Kelli Elizabeth Upchurch (Keith), Phenix City, Alabama, two grandchildren John Rigsby Upchurch and Ashley Katlyn (Katie) Upchurch. He is also survived by his brother Coy Allen (Betty) Sanders of Pheba, Mississippi and sister Glenda Sanders of Crystal Springs, Mississippi. Don attended Flagpole Elementary School and Lee High School and while he was serving his country he attended numerous tech training classes. His rural country upbringing and his tech training in the Army served him well the rest of his life. He worked primarily on John Deere farm equipment for 35 years and enjoyed an outstanding reputation of being the man to see if your tractor was in need of attention. He retired as Service Manager of Green line equipment. Funeral services will be held at Shaeffers Chapel United Methodist Church on Shaeffers Chapel Road At 11:00 A.M. on July 27, 2009. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Honorary pall bearers will be the people he grew up with and worked with, and all the farmers in the surrounding counties. Don knew where every piece of equipment was and what was wrong with it. We honor his motor cycle riding buddies. He enjoyed riding with them and retelling the ride stories for years. We honor his church family who loved and supported him throughout his illness, Dr John Reed, Dr. Jason Dunn, Dr Christopher Labrun and their staff, the doctors, nurses and staff at the dialysis unit, the people with whom he spent hours and hours while taking his treatments and everyone whose lives touched his. He was blessed by these friends. In leiu of flowers the family requests that memorials be sent to the Shaeffers Chapel United Methodist Church benevolence fund, P.O. Box 863 Columbus, MS 39703, or the National Kidney Foundation 1- 800-622-9010 or www.kidney.org
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