Alberta Sanders was born in Boligee, Alabama, on February 28, 1942 to Robert and Luebirdia Hubbard. She went home to the Lord on May 30, 2020. Ever the humble and faithful servant, Alberta served as an Usher at Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church in Long Beach, California, and at Bethany Christian Fellowship Church in Barstow, California. She could regularly be found organizing and participating in a wide range of events at churches throughout her communities. In May 2012, she was designated as President of the Mother Board at Bethany.
Alberta joined a group of her siblings in California during the early 1960s and worked at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. For nearly 30 years, she lived in Long Beach with her beloved daughter Felecia Watkins, whom she cared for until Felecia’s passing in 1993.
In 1994, Alberta reunited with the love of her life, Tommy Sanders. They married in Las Vegas shortly thereafter and had 26 transformative years together. Alberta spent the closing season of her life peacefully in their love-filled home. The last word she said out loud in her full voice was his name.
To know Alberta was to know love. She loved the Lord. She loved to cook. And she loved family, friends and strangers unconditionally. She simply could not say no to someone in need, and many who knew her called her Mom. Alberta’s epic Thanksgiving celebrations and her yard sales regularly featured her homemade sweet potato pies, 7-Up pound cakes, peach cobblers, and chocolate chip cookies. She filled hearts and bellies with sweetness, goodness, laughter and joy.
She will be deeply missed by the many people who love her, and the many people she loved.
Along with her daughter Felecia Ann Watkins, Alberta was preceded in death by her parents as well as her sisters Katie Mae Shambley and Bertha Mae Bentley, her brothers Robert Hubbard Jr. and Thomas James Hubbard, and her granddaughter Vanessa Ann Nicholson-Fisher.
She leaves to cherish her memory husband Tommy Sanders of Barstow, California; daughter Tammy Sanders of the San Francisco Bay Area, California; great-grandchildren Joi D’Shay Fisher and Tah’Jier Harris of Long Beach, California; sisters Ora Delois Hill and Rosie Lee Wakefield (Harvey) of Chattanooga, Tennessee; sister Joanne Rector of Cypress, California; brother Oscar Hubbard (Zenobia) of Springfield, Virginia; brother Richard Hubbard (Athelene) of Chattanooga, Tennessee; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, chosen family, church family, and friends.
Acknowledgements for Alberta Sanders
The Family wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the many expressions of love, concern, and kindness shown during our bereavement. A heartfelt thank you for caring, feeding, checking on and supporting us. May God bless you and keep you.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.mem.com/memorysharing/e27c970c-7eff-445a-ac59-abec3f9dbad2?lang=en
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