Edward Eugene Sanders, Jr.

SANDERS, Mr. Edward Eugene, Jr. 69, a resident of Rutledge, Alabama, passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. A graveside service will be held at 3 PM on Thursday, October 27, in Rutledge Cemetery presided over by Charles Sipper and a cousin, Paul Dickerson and directed by Turner Funeral Home of Luverne. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 1 – 2:30 PM.

Edward was born on February 20th, 1947 in Luverne, Alabama to Edward Eugene (Gene) Sanders, Sr. and Cassie Bush Sanders.

He grew up on the Sanders Chicken Farm near Rutledge, Alabama with his parents, his sister Reba, his brother Wayne, and his very special “Granny,” Johnnie Sanders. The Sanders family was a tribute to that great gentle Spirit of God.

He married Silvia Flores in 1992. The pride and joy of his life was his son, Eddy.

He graduated from Luverne High School in 1965. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Bible at David Lipscomb University in Nashville in 1969. He also received a Master’s of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta.

He was a professor of Social Work at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois for two years. The rest of his career was spent with several agencies, including DeKalb County Department of Family and Children Services in Atlanta, Raintree Village Children’s Home in Valdosta, Georgia, and Rainbow Omega Home for adults with intellectual disabilities in Anniston, Alabama. He retired earlier this year. He was highly respected and much beloved by those whom he served.

He is a survived by his son Edward Eugene Sanders III of Athens, Georgia, his ex-wife Silvia Sanders of Valdosta, Georgia, and his brother-in-law, Robert Long of Covington, Georgia. He is also survived by special friends Charles (Kayo) Sipper of Luverne, John Ganey of Luverne, Richard Pigg of Nashville, Tennessee, Russell Kemp of Atlanta, Georgia, and Steven Morrisett of Atlanta, Georgia, and other friends and cousins. He is also survived by the residents of Rainbow Omega.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his parents, his sister, Reba Sanders Long, and his brother, Wayne Sanders. He was also preceded in death by three aunts, Hazel, Faye, and Euceta, and six uncles, Carlton, Cecil, Marvin, John, Ben, and Daniel.

Memorial donations may be made to Rainbow Omega, Eastaboga, Alabama or Raintree Village, Valdosta, Georgia.

Serving as pallbearers will be his cousins, Vance Moore, Allan Moore, Jimmy Wyrosdick, Larry Wyrosdick, Billy Bush, and Dennis Sanders