She was the youngest of four, born to Mary Velma Dudley and Robert Eugene Sanders in Brownsville, TX on September 29, 1949. She moved to the Heights in Houston, TX where she attended elementary school through high school. She spent her summers in Kilgore, TX with family and even had a street named after her.
She graduated from Stephen F. Austin in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She became a secretary of law for many years and eventually worked for her brother Robert D. Sanders who was a CPA.
She wasn’t always a career girl. Family was one of her greatest treasures; a dream from a young age was to be a mother. She would go on to be more than that. She was a true matriarch of our family. Not just to her blood family, but to anyone she welcomed into her heart and called family. And once she claimed you, there was no distinction. You were loved, you were included, and you mattered. Each of her children were precious to her. She was very involved in school functions and supported each of us in all our endeavors. You could count on her. Her grandchildren were her absolute joy. She poured so much love into them. She would sit and read with them, have them read to her, and turn the simplest moments into opportunities to teach them, encourage them, and help them grow. She had a way of making every child feel important and every accomplishment worth celebrating.
She held traditions close to her heart and made sure they continued year after year. Holidays at her house were never just holidays. They were events. The kind of gatherings where the house was full, the kitchen was busy, the table was surrounded, and somehow there was always room for one more.
And then there were her homemade cards. She didn’t just buy a card and sign her name. She created them. Every detail was carefully thought out. Every word was chosen with purpose. She was intentional, thoughtful, and full of love.
She was like Daniel in the lion’s den. Her faith was strong. As a breast cancer survivor, she was a pillar of strength and courage for those around her. When a friend was going through a hard time, she was an encourager. When her grandson was diagnosed with cancer, she stood firm in her faith. She trusted the Lord would see her family through. And He did, over and over through all of life’s trials. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church in Grangerland, TX since 1982 where she attended Sunday School, worship service, worked Vacation Bible School, attended Ladies Bible Study and so much more.
Her legacy will live on in the traditions she worked so hard to preserve. It will live on in the holiday dinners, the campouts, the family gatherings, the recipes, the stories, the cards, and in the lessons she quietly taught everyone fortunate enough to know her. It will live on through her children and grandchildren, and it will live on through every person she welcomed into her family, whether by blood or simply by love.
She is survived by her children: Jean And Michael Curran, Michael and Tamara Perry, Katie and Billy Jordan, LeeAnn Perry and Kent McShan, Nathan Perry, Andrew and Madison Perry, and Timothy Perry and Patricia Quintanilla; grandchildren: Matthew Curran, Christopher Curran, Jessica Blasdell, Jacob Perry, Lauren Koch, Leah Siders, Logan Rodgers, Peyton Perry, Austin Perry, Dalton Perry, Dillon Perry, Dustin Perry, Deacon Perry, William Ward, Karson Ward, Walker Gillinger, Kensley Perry, Kennedy Perry and Collin Perry; and numerous great grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her brother, Johnny A. Sanders and sister, Susan M. Sanders. She is preceded in death by her mother; father; brother, Robert D. Sanders; father of her children, Jerry Perry and grandson, Layne Rodgers.
Visitation will be held at Cashner Funeral Home, 801 Teas Road, Conroe, TX 77303, US, on September 9, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A Funeral Service will take place at First Baptist Church-Grangerland, 15975 FM 3083, Grangerland, TX 77302, US, on September 10, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Graveside services will be held at Freeman Cemetery, 14332 FM 1485, Conroe, TX 77306, US, on September 10, 2026, from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm. Pallbearers will be Michael Perry, Nathan Perry, Andrew Perry, Timothy Perry, Logan Rodgers, and Dalton Perry, with honorary pallbearers Jacob Perry, Peyton Perry, Dillon Perry, Austin Perry, Dustin Perry, Deacon Perry, Collin Perry, Walker Gillinger , and William Ward.
