Obituary of George L. Sanders

SANDERS, George L., was promoted to glory Saturday, December 11, 2004, in the year of our Lord. He is survived by his adoring and beloved wife of more than 17 years, Elizabeth; step- children, Dan Radebaugh and wife, Marsha, Linda Radebaugh Konst and husband, Dan, Toni R. Davis and Patricia Radebaugh; step-grandchildren, Eileen and Jennifer Phethean, John Schrick and Alex Apostolos; and step-great-granddaughter, Skyler Wilkerson. Surviving from his marriage to the late Areme Goding are his son, Larry Sanders, and wife, Antoinette; their children, Nathan and Adrienne Sanders; his daughters, Margaret Sanders and Marjorie McDougal; daughter, Joanne Farley, and husband, David, of Venice, Fla.; granddaughters, Mary Farley Williams and husband, Michael, and infant son, Brian, Meg Farley Scrivner and husband, Stephen, and their four children, Michelle Farley Williams and husband, John, and their two young sons and one little girl. George was predeceased by his mother, Adele Nerriec Sanders, a nativ e of Concarneau, France, and by his father, Samuel Sanders, a native of Bremen, Germany. His parents-to-be met at the old Tampa Bay Hotel, now the University of Tampa. He is also predeceased by three sisters. Having been born at home in Ybor City May 12, 1917, he grew up in a very interesting neighborhood where almost everybody knew their neighbors. To this day he has very close friends with whom he grew up. Times were hard in those days and young George helped supplement the family income by selling fruit grown on the family’s trees. He was delighted as a child could be when given a bright, shiny little red wagon, but learned right away that he was to use it to peddle the fruit in his neighborhood. He also has told many young persons of selling papers on the street when Lindbergh flew the ocean (made a lot of sales). He stopped relating that story when a young person asked, Who’s Lindbergh? All of these hardships and early experiences were to stand him in good stead later on in his life . Upon graduating from Hillsborough High School in 1935, George worked for the U.S Post Office. After December 7, 1941, George enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served his country on Midway Island in the Pacific and on the island of Oahu. Upon returning home, he set himself up in the insurance and financial planning business, culminating in his own George L. Sanders Agency in Tampa. He is a lifelong member of the one hundred million dollar round table created by Franklin Life Insurance to honor those who achieved a million dollars in sales in 100 days. He also became involved in commercial development and real estate, creating his own company, and at one time was known as Mr. Acres of Tampa. Among some of his properties developed are Pat Acres in northwest Tampa, the old Hawaiian Village on North Dale Mabry Highway, the now defunct Steak & Ale on North Dale Mabry Highway, as well as the Honeywell property on Waters Avenue and 400 acres on Van Dyke Road in Tampa, Holiday Acres and County Line Acres. He is recipient of the JCPenney Father of the Year award and was inducted into the Hillsborough High School Alumni Hall of Fame. They call him Mr. Salvation Army, and rightfully so. For over 50 years, George Sanders has been a godsend to this international organization. He helped negotiate the purchase or zoning approvals of almost every piece of land the Tampa Corps owns; established a scholarship fund that has enabled young people to attend officer training at The Salvation Army’s Georgia college; along with wife, Elizabeth, put together a library fund for the local Adult Rehabilitation Center; and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as given thousands himself, to set up a fund to send youngsters to summer camp. His volunteer work is legendary. He has received the prestigious OTHERS award from The Salvation Army. He is a life member of The Salvation Army Board, which began in 1950. The Salvation Army Venice Corps Prayer Room is named in his honor. More important, he’ s persuaded others to follow his lead, generating even more for the organization. Until illness prohibited it, he and Elizabeth could be seen ringing those Salvation Army bells at Christmastime. George was the last charter member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100, established in 1954. At the committee’s annual meeting last spring, George was recognized for his contributions to this community for the past 50 years. He was also a lifetime member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Palma Ceia Masonic Lodge #290. George served on the board of directors for Bank of Tampa and, in 1956, was one of the founding members of Seminole Bank, which was later sold to Barnett Bank and finally became Bank of America. He served as a director on the board for 28 years. There will be a viewing 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, December 14, 2004, at The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in the George L. Sanders Chapel at the back entrance located on 13901 N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa. A brief memorial service will follow. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 15, 2004, at The Salvation Army Corps Center located at 1100 W. Sligh Ave. in Tampa. Memorial contributions in George L. Sanders name may be made to The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center or to the Tampa Salvation Army Corps.