Burrell Elijah Saunders, age 96, of Pembroke Pines, FL, passed away on Aug. 1, 2020 at home. He was born on April 17, 1924, to the late Hylton and Wilhelmina (Marrow) Saunders of Mt. Henry Saint Andrew, Jamaica.
Burrell “B” was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Gwendolyn “Gwendy” Saunders (nee Brown), his sisters, Leasa Freeman and Retinella “Puncie” Humes and his brother Edward “Son” Saunders.
He is survived by his niece and nephew-in-law Valerie and Ron Williams, his niece Patricia “Peaches” Clue,and her son, Don Humes, his nephew Malcolm and niece-in-law Shelia, his nephews-in-law Anthony McDonald and Leonard McDonald, niece-in-law Melvina McKenzie, grandnieces, grandnephews, loving relatives and close friends, who will miss the sometimes cantankerous, but always generous, Burrell dearly.
Disciplined, clear-thinking, and self-reliant, Burrell was trained, in Kingston, as a tailor. He also worked a variety of jobs, including as an agricultural laborer, traveling back and forth to Florida, starting in 1947. He left Jamaica in 1954 and lived several years in England where he drove passenger busses. Moving to New York (auto parts delivery driver), he became a US citizen, before finally retiring and settling in Pembroke Pines, Florida in 1997. Burrell was an a longtime member of the New Horizon United Methodist Church in SW Ranches FL, where he and Gwen were active in weekly Bible study. He enjoyed playing dominoes or watching baseball, when he and his wife were not cruising in the Caribbean with friends.
The family wishes to thank all of those who befriended and cared for him during his frail years and are especially grateful to Ms. Eileen Elicker and Ms. Doreth Russell for their thoughtful and compassionate deeds.
Burrell reserved a final resting place at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens South in Davie, Florida next to his late wife Gwendolyn. For those who have known him in his journey with us, his graveside service will be live-streamed in consideration of state, local, and CDC guidelines for safety due to Covid-19.
Burrell will be dearly missed.
Memorial donations may be sent to the New Horizon United Methodist Church, 5741 South Flamingo Road, Southwest Ranches, FL 33330. Note Nourishing Lives in the memo line.
