Gloria May Sanders

Gloria May Sanders, 89, a lifelong resident of Rutledge, Alabama, passed away peacefully in her home on Monday, May 25th, 2026, while surrounded by her family. Funeral services for Gloria will be held at 11 AM on Friday, May 29th, at the Luverne Church of Christ with her sons, Dennis & Dean Sanders officiating. She will then be laid to rest beside her beloved husband in Rutledge Cemetery with Brother Lee Jamieson officiating and Turners Funeral Home directing the services. The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday, May 28th, from 6 to 8 PM.

There simply aren't enough adjectives to describe what a wonderful woman Gloria Sanders was. To know her was to love her, and that's not just hyperbole in her case. Now, she didn't have the kind of flashy and loud personality that demands to be the center of attention. Oh no, not our Miss Gloria. She was such a humble, quiet, and even-tempered kind of Southern lady who simply treated everyone with the same kind of gentleness, generosity of spirit, and comfort with which she would want her own children treated. She certainly devoted her life to her family, first with her husband and children, and then with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who quickly owned her heart. She supported every endeavor and there never failed to be a church service at Luverne Church of Christ where she was not surrounded by the loving, caring, and devoted family who always thrived under her love.

At home, there wasn't a finer Southern cook below the Mason-Dixon line. Oh, there was nothing that came out of her kitchen that wasn't good, but few would deny that her dressing, chicken & dumplings, and banana pudding weren't just out of this world fine. Sadly, best of luck trying to replicate her dishes because she never worked from a recipe and trying to learn as she made it usually resulted in a different recipe every single time. As much as Gloria loved her home and community, she was always ready to hop in the car or on a plane for an adventure. You better believe she made good use of her 89 years on this earth by seeing as much beauty in it as possible, whether it was all over the continental United States, Hawaii, Monaco, or, her favorite, Switzerland, she loved it all. But the only place besides Rutledge that truly spoke to her heart were the Smoky Mountains. She made many a trek to a quiet cabin in the woods up there and never failed to enjoy her commune with nature while she was there. But still, Rutledge and her greatest treasure on this earth, her family, always called her home. Gloria was also a dearly cherished member of her church and touched far more lives during all of her years there than she possibly ever realized. There has rarely ever been a soul who walked this earth with such an even-tempered and deliberate pace so her passage through this world was a light touch, but left a tremendously wide wake behind her.

Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Sanders; son, Darrin Sanders; granddaughter, Katelyn Sanders Owens; and great-grandson, Josiah David Lindsey; parents, Willie & Euna Holland May; and siblings, Loris Clements, Glenn May, Walter May, and Lela Leverett.

She is survived by her cherished children & their spouses, Anita & Tony Gatlin, David & Angie Sanders, Dennis & Jamie Sanders, Dale & Julie Sanders, Amy & Jackie Waters, Lisa & Chad Kilcrease, and Dean & Stephanie Sanders; daughter-in-law, Teresa Sanders; grandchildren, Anna Gatlin, Mark (Anna) Sanders, Kayla (Thomas) Strickland, Wesley (Lindsay) Sanders, Lyndsay Sanders, Chase (Haeden) Sanders, Danyel (Derrek) Wilson, Kimberly (Mitchell) Moore, Ross (Jessica) Sanders, Calem (Kristen) Sanders, Lori (Michael) Walker, Elaina Baugh (Jamel Swanson), Nick (Sarah) Baugh, Russ (Madelyn) Kilcrease, Reed (Macie) Kilcrease, Annslee (Adam) Jeffcoat, Blakley (Trey) Lindsey, Haley (Brent) Huckabee, and Jenna (Austin) Eagerton; great-grandchildren, David Riley, John Dorman, & Alex Ray Sanders, Brantley, Stella, & Gage Strickland, Mylan, Fenner, Silas, & Harpur Wilson, Corban Tate, Luke, Ella Claire, Nolan, & Mack Moore, Darrin Ross III, Bella, & Baylor Sanders, Addison Owens, Wilson, Kate, Millie, & Parker Sanders, Eli & Seth Sanders, Evie, Maisyn, & Cohen Walker, Adalai Baugh & Airalyn Swanson, Kooper & Ollie Kilcrease, Wyatt Lindsey, Savannah Rey & Eloise Huckabaa, and Annie Eagerton; and a sister-in-law who became a true sister in heart and love, Glenda Sanders.

Active pallbearers will be Mark Sanders, Calem Sanders, Ross Sanders, Nick Baugh, Reed Kilcrease, Wesley Sanders, Chase Sanders, and Michael Walker.

The family would like to thank two special caregivers, Pat Gillespie & Suanne Rayburn, whose kindness and compassion made them part of the huge Sanders clan!