It is with great sadness that the family of Joy Lee Sanders of Mixon announces her passing on January 26, 2019 at the age of 91 years. Funeral services will be Friday, February 1 at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home at 2 pm with burial to follow at Tyler Memorial Cemetery. Family visitation will be held on Thursday, January 31 from 4-7 pm at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home.
Joy was born in Ralls to William Aaron and Birdie Lee Otts on January 11, 1928. After marrying Samuel Grady Sanders she traveled the world with him while he served in the United States Air Force. They lived in Japan for several years where Joy enjoyed studying different art forms in Japan as she was a wonderful artist and a lover of animals and nature. She enjoyed painting and studying the great art masters. Joy was a member of the East Texas Fine Art Association.
Joy was a loving mother who taught her children to be kind and compassionate to all living things and to share a kinship with all life. She loved the fine arts and watching ice skating and ballet though she also loved a game of dominos or poker and staying on top of world news.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of fifty seven years and her two sisters, Elvie Allen and Faye Allen.
Joy will be lovingly remembered by her children Samuel Gordon Sanders and his wife Judy, Sherry Sanders and husband David Morton and Michael Sanders and his wife Stephanie. She will also be fondly remembered by her two grandchildren, Jason Sanders and his wife Jen and Cayce Shepard; great-grandson Samuel Marshal Sanders and sister Evelyn Allen who was a great companion and caretaker for Joy. Also left to cherish her memory are numerous nieces and nephews.
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contribution may be sent to Straydog, P.O. Box 1465, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147; www.straydog.com.
