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Rev. Norman Sanders Jr Memorial

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Hello Everyone, 

My name is Ryan Sanders, and I am the youngest son of the late Rev. Norman Sanders who, as of Sunday, January 10, 2021, at around 9:42 p.m., left this earth to be with Jesus. Because of his age and failing health; he did not have life insurance.  I have created this Go Fund Me page to honor my father and help raise financial support for his funeral/memorial arrangements.  Avery's Memorial Chapel will be in charge of the arrangements. 

My father, Norman Sanders, worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for over 35 years, setting up crusades for Dr. Billy Graham worldwide. He also worked as the Director of Communications at The Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. While there, he was responsible for setting up several seminars and training workshops held by leading Christian speakers from all over the world so that others could deepen their faith. My father was a musician as well; a fantastic tenor. He and my mother, Cheryl, loved to sing duets and were invited to sing at various Graham crusades and events throughout the country.

For those who knew my father, he was a man who loved God and loved people. He was a man who was larger than life to me, a man with a servant’s heart.  He worked tirelessly spreading the good news of Jesus Christ so that others could know the God he served. He shared his faith and love with everyone that he met. If you ever had a need, my dad was always right there. I never met anyone as humble as he was, never looking for fame or recognition but just always wanting to serve others with no fanfare. He was right there helping people. It didn’t matter who you were, what color you were, or the background you came from; he made himself available, night or day. On the job or on his day off, he just loved to help others. 

In later years, my dad was the Associate Pastor of Hill Street Baptist Church and Director of Christian Education. He received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Newburgh Theological Seminary and became an adjunct professor. 

For the past 10 years, my dad was the Chaplain for Buncombe County Detention Center. In this role, he counseled inmates and men and women in the homeless shelter. He also served Veterans at the Veterans Quarters before his health started to decline. He loved his job and everyone he worked with and for.

During all his life, he was a loving father, husband, and grandfather. He was married to my mom for 50 years.  My dad was 80 years old when he died on Sunday. He didn’t want to stop working, and retirement was never an option. He talked a lot about his last job, greeting Veterans, and was sorry he had to stop serving our nation’s heroes.

For the past eight weeks, he was in the hospital fighting for his life. He suffered a mini-stroke, was diagnosed with acute heart failure, caught pneumonia, then COVID, and had to endure daily kidney dialysis. During the last days of his life, he finally gave up the fight and said, “I just want to go see Jesus”. He had to die alone. We couldn’t be there with him due to COVID and it breaks our hearts. We are very thankful for the doctors, nurses and frontline workers who tirelessly took care of him and so many others.

Dad was our rock. He made sure we were taken care of since day 1 and he would have done anything for his family. Not only that, but this man would have done anything for ANYBODY. His kind heart and generosity will be remembered by those who had the pleasure of knowing him. He truly was a man that made a difference in this world. Words can't express how grateful we are to have grown up with this man as our hero, the man who taught us our life lessons, and the man who showed us how to be kind to people.  He also showed, his Family and Friends how to love.  His true character of how he carried himself even when no one was looking was a true reflection of how a Man of God is supposed to live.

He leaves a family who loves him and will miss him more than words can say. I can’t imagine living in a world without him and the goodness he bestowed on others. He leaves a wife, Cheryl, two sons (Tim Sanders and me), a daughter- in-law; Annina Sanders,  three grandchildren, Ryan Sanders Jr - 14, Skylar Sanders - 6, and Jagger Sanders - 10 Months.

Any assistance you can give will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
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Donations 

  • Kenny Enclade
    • $25
    • 4 yrs
  • Sally Pereira
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Samuel Wheeler
    • $100
    • 4 yrs
  • Breanna Ghassemieh
    • $200
    • 4 yrs
  • Suzanne Byrne
    • $25
    • 4 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Norman Sanders
Organizer
Asheville, NC

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