Joe Sanders Jr's Obituary
Joe Sanders, Jr.
Beloved Son, Father, GranDad, Brother, Uncle, Cousin and Friend
Joe Sanders Jr., affectionately known as “Joe Boy”, was born on April 21, 1947 at Baptist Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana. As the eldest son of Pattie Culbert Sanders and Joe Herman Sanders (deceased), Joe truly embraced being big brother to Jennie Lane Robertson of Stockton, CA; Gloria Faye Sanders (deceased); Norman Sanders (deceased); Cynthia Brooks (Albert) of Houston, TX; Dr. Pamelaia Sanders of Pineville, LA; Ronnie Sanders (Anita) of Pineville, LA; and Phoebe Weatherspoon of Atlanta, GA. He rarely missed an opportunity to celebrate milestones such as graduations, weddings and Bayou Classics that brought family together.
Joe grew up in the Rigolette neighborhood of Pineville, LA, also known as the “Piney Woods”, which is in Rapides Parish. Joe excelled in football and was a scholar athlete who lettered as an all-state offensive lineman. He helped lead Peabody High School (PHS) to two Louisiana state championship games. Joe graduated from Peabody in 1965 and later attended Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration, class of 1969.
After graduating from college, Joe accepted a position with Detroit Edison (now DTE Energy) in Detroit, Michigan. He took a detour shortly afterwards, to answer the draft call to service by the United States Army, where he served in the MP (Military Police) unit and did a tour of duty in Vietnam. After completing his military service, Joe continued his professional career as a young internal auditor at Detroit Edison.
Joe met his college sweetheart, Barbara Ann Miles, at Southern University and they married in 1972. While he rose through the management ranks in his career, he demonstrated unwavering support to Barbara in her career as well. Joe achieved many firsts in internal auditing in the company, including becoming the first Black executive in internal auditing and serving as the Acting General Director of Auditing for the company. He retired from DTE Energy after a successful 32-year career.
Joe was a well-respected member of the Detroit professional community. He carved out time to serve as President of the Detroit Chapter Southern University Alumni Association and the first Black President of The National Institute of Internal Auditors - Detroit Chapter.
While Joe achieved many career highlights, he was most proud of his two sons - Cornell Kip Larry (LaShanda Reed-Larry) of Mansfield, TX and Ryan Joseph Sanders (fiancé Janae Dandridge) of Detroit, MI. He traveled many miles to attend over 200 of Ryan’s youth soccer and basketball games, missing only two throughout the years. He also supported Barbara and Ryan for many years by traveling to FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) events across the country, sometimes serving as a judge. And, he participated in numerous activities with the Oakland County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated for over 10 years.
With Kip, Joe shared his interests in tennis, golf and jazz through the years. He was overjoyed when Kip decided to attend his alma mater, Southern University. As fellow Jaguars, there wasn’t a Bayou Classic they missed during Kip’s years at SU.
After 45 years in the metro Detroit area, Joe and Barbara relocated in retirement to the Dallas/Ft. Worth suburbs in 2017 to be closer to Kip and his family. Joe loved spending time with Kip, LaShanda and “The Three'' - a name he gave to his grandsons: Julian Alexander Sanders Larry, Sean Gabriel Sanders Larry, and Xavier Elijah Sanders Larry. He truly enjoyed attending Julian, Sean and Xavier’s activities and became a staple in the stands of their basketball, baseball and football games. His dream was to travel across the country with “The Three” in an RV, but instead he took them each on walks, enjoyed family meals, vacationed together and introduced them to the Piney Woods.
In his free time, Joe loved to reconnect with his rural Louisiana roots by way of working in his yard. He could often be seen at his favorite local flower shops near the family home in Troy, Michigan and loved to get his hands in the dirt at the season’s first sign of warm weather. Joe also made a point to reconnect with the Southern University alumni as a charter and lifetime member of the Southern University Fort Worth Alumni Chapter.
Joe was a quiet, thoughtful, warm hearted man with a good sense of humor and a strong sense of family! He will forever be missed by his loving wife Barbara, cherished sons and grandson Kip, Ryan, Julian, Sean and Xavier. He also leaves behind his beloved mother Pattie and siblings Jennie, Cynthia, Pamelaia, Ronnie, and Phoebe. Uncle Joe’s nieces and nephews include Michaunda Roberson (fiancé Malik Marin), Demea Jamison (Shaemekia), Wesley Alexander (Tannischa), Cairn Horton (Victor), Malrik Boose (Leslie), Shelly Sanders, Darion Sanders (fiancé Antonia), Jasmine Sanders, and Irie Weatherspoon. His heart was full seeing the family grow to include a host of great nieces, great nephews, and his godchildren Joseph Williams and Renée Macbeth.
Joe will also be fondly remembered by his brother-in-law Charles and sister-in-law Donna Alexander who helped make the transition to Texas smoother with couples’ dinners and family gatherings. His extended Michigan clan includes Mike Marion, Saundra Marion, Hellen Dennis, along with Ron and Roberta Gamble. And, Terry “Rigolette” Williams, his homeboy, visited from California a month prior to Joe going home to be with the Lord.
In lieu of flowers, donations to scholarship funds can made online in the memory of Joe Sanders, Jr.:
Southern University Joe Sanders, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
https://sualumni.site-ym.com/page/JoeSandersMSF
Dr. Michael A. Evans, Sr. Scholarship Foundation
https://evansscholarship.org/
Details for the services on April 17, 2021 are listed be for those attending in person. Social distancing and masks are required at all venues.
Services may also be viewed via the link below
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85399746522?pwd=QnQ1eXh0SUpveWx1eG1GUmJGc25RUT09
Passcode: 042121
Public Viewing at 12:00 p.m.
Home-Going Service at 1:00 p.m.
Bethlehem Baptist Church
1188 W. Broad Street
Mansfield, Texas 76063
Final Resting Place (Interment)
Mansfield Community Cemetery
750 West Kimball (Cemetery Rd.)
Mansfield, Texas 76063
Repast: Eventfully Yours Special Event Venue
7640 NE Loop 820 #110, North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Joe and Barbara joined Bethlehem Baptist Church (Reverend Dr. Michael A. Evans, Sr.) through their Christian experience after over 25 years at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Pontiac, Michigan (Reverend Dr. John Tolbert, Senior Pastor). We appreciate all of the support offered by Mansfield Funeral Home during this time.
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