Stanley Gene Sanders

Stanley Gene Sanders, 75, of Meridian, Mississippi, died on March 14th at Anderson Hospital.  He was the youngest son born September 25th, 1942, to Clyde Franklin and Rachel Mitchell Sanders, in Greenfield, Tennessee.  The family later moved to Lansing, Michigan where he finished high school.  At the age of 15 he started working for a growing local franchise, McDonald's, where he worked his way up from cleaning the parking lot and peeling potatoes to management and eventually earned an opportunity to purchase his own franchise.  Like most young men he enlisted for a brief time with the Army National Guard where he often joked his experience with peeling potatoes at McDonald's was quite valuable in his success with kitchen duties.  With the exception of limited time in the Guard Stan Sanders' McDonald's career would span 58 years and by his own account was the only job he ever had and ever loved.  Sanders came to Meridian in the early 70's, building his first location of Frontage Road and eventually owned and operated 5 locations in Meridian, but his impact and success within the McDonald's corporation was known nationwide.

He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Rachel Comans Sanders, a son Stanley Gene Sanders, Jr., and a large and loving family including Ricky Sanders, Roxanne Sanders, Steve & Vicki Murray,  Mary Hembree, Kathy & Mike Wright, Tina and James Smith, Rush L. Hembree III, grandchildren, Madalyn, Nicki, Stephanie, Jamie, Leah, Rachel, Lauren, Nicholas, Meagan, Emily, Summer, Kaleb, Rush IV, Jessie, Sarah,  Kait, Mark, Adrean and great grand children, Zack, Rileigh Ann, Mattie, Connor, Arik, Noah, Addie Grace, Natalie, Amy and Jace.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Rachel Sanders, brothers Billy Frank, Sam and Skip and has a sister Sonja who resides in south Florida.

Visitation will be from 5pm to 7pm, Sunday the 18th, at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home, 6300 Hwy 39 N, Meridian, Ms 39305 and again at the same location on Monday the 19th from 12pm to 2pm with service in the chapel to follow.  Internment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetary, 7774 Hwy 39 N, Meridian, MS  39301, immediately following the chapel service.  A reception honoring the life of Stan Sanders will be held from 4pm to 6pm at the Riley Center.

Pallbearers will be Steve Murray, Mike Wright, Freddie Santos, Adam Reeves, James Smith and Myles Cross.  Honorary pallbearers will be Ron Vice and Roy Griggs.

Memorials or donations may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of your choice.