Richard James Saunders

Dick was born in Addison, MI, the youngest son of Frances and Fred. He was president of his class at Addison High School and started at Michigan State Normal School (EMU) immediatelty after graduating. After college he spent two years in the army and then worked at General Motors as a clay modeler. He completed his masters at Wayne State, left GM and worked in the Plymouth-Canton School District as a shop and then art teacher, retiring in 1994. More than one of his students went on to notable careers in the art world.

Dick was a Renaissance man. Not only did he have Mensa intelligence, he was an accomplished artist in pencil, pastels, acrylics and charcoal (BBAA Best in Show) and pottery (Ann Arbor Street Fair, juried section, DIA WSU exhibit). For fun he enjoyed wood carving, photography and competitive stunt kite flying. He played basketball in high school, ran track in college, enjoyed scuba diving and was an avid wake boarder into his 70s. He belonged to the Western Wayne Conservation Club where he enjoyed, and dressed the part for, their cowboy action events. He also could handle almost everything around the house. Although he liked many music genres, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Dick and his wife camped across the United States and Canada taking month-long trips during summer vacation. They had traveled to all seven continents, including twice to Antarctica.

For 40-years he fought Mother Nature and Father Time. He was a model patient who made it through quadruple-bypass, vasculitis, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. However, his body finally said, “Enough”.

He is survived by wife Peg (Margaret) Gall, son Rick (Marci Schultz), grandchildren Jennifer (Michael) Schoenbeck, Alison Saunders, Noah Saunders, Hannah Schultz, Harrison (Leila) Schultz and three great-grandchildren (Harrison, Scarlet and Luna).

Dick donated his body to the University of Michigan medical school. There will be no funeral. A gathering will be planned for a later date. Please contact any family member if interested in attending.