Elzina Marie Sanders

ELZINA MARIE SMITH SANDERS was born on June 15, 1929, to Margaret (Maggie) Doyle Smith (who died at age 42, of cancer in 1932 when Elzina was just 2 ½ years old) and Silas Smith (who died at age 69, of a stroke in 1951), on North Sprigg Street, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. She was the 11th child born to the couple, but the last of 8 to survive past birth. She outlived her siblings: 3 brothers named Golden—whom they called Buddy—died of food poisoning, Fletcher—who died sometime after 1990 when Elzina penned these details in her personal journal—and Glenn—who died at age 62 in 1987 of a stroke. Her sisters were: Agnes—who went by Sis—died of a stroke, Ella—who died giving child birth before Elzina had the chance to know her, Hazel, and Lucille.

It was during the Great Depression, and Elzina’s father was out of work. Times were hard and they moved from Sprigg Street to a “real shack” on “Bend Road” which was across a ditch with a bridge that led to the dirt road. The door wouldn’t stay shut, so someone placed a log against it. Elzina’s father was an alcoholic, and he was abusive. At the time of her mother’s death when she was 2 ½ years old, Fletcher was 19 years of age, but he was locked up in reform school for shooting a man in the hand who raped their sister, Hazel. He could not take on the care of his young siblings, though he loved them very much. Hazel tried to take care of Elzina, but she was supporting herself on “less than appropriate means” where it would be most inappropriate to expose a young child. Everyone struggled to survive, and no one could take on the extra burden of raising a toddler.

The story goes, as told by Elzina to her daughter years later, one night an angel appeared to her and moved the log away, leading her out and down a wooded path toward her cousins cabin. She fell and skinned her knees, but the “pretty angel” helped her up and assured her that she would be okay. When she reached her relative’s place, and they saw how badly cared for she was, the authorities stepped in. At the bidding of her sickly paternal grandmother, her Uncle Lee and Aunt Emma took her in.

They were poor too, and Uncle Lee drank “moonshine” but he worked off and on, and due to the Depression, there was a bit of help from Welfare, so they survived. Aunt Emma was not pleased, nor was she very kind in the beginning. Eventually, she grew to love Elzina, in her own way. Elzina went to church, and she played with neighboring children. She attended grammar school in a one room school house. She left home when she was 14 years old and got a job in a shoe factory.

In 1944 Elzina and Raymond Paul Sanders married and moved to Anderson, Indiana. They had a son, Terry Raymond Sanders on January 18, 1951. In 1957, they moved to Fort Myers, Florida, and had a daughter, Joyce Ann Sanders Palmer, who was born January 2, 1958. They have three grandchildren: Kelly Marie Sanders Adams, Travis Raymond Sanders, and Christopher Robert Palmer. They have three great-grandchildren: Justin Adams, John Adams, and Evelyn Palmer; and two step-great-grandchildren, Hunter and Addison. They also have a daughter-in-law, Lauren Sanders, and a son-in-law, Robert Palmer. Their granddaughter, Kelly is married to Randy Adams, and their grandson, Christopher is married to Stacy Palmer.

Elzina was a kindhearted soul, who gave of herself to anyone in need. She worked as a nurse’s aide at Lee Memorial Hospital, and at Shady Rest nursing home for a short period when they first moved to Florida. Her family meant everything to her, and she demonstrated this in so many ways. She volunteered as a scout leader, and as the school nurse at her children’s school. She raised her children to love the Lord, and charity was second nature to her. Elzina devoted her life to her husband, children, and her grandchildren. She was the family seamstress, caregiver, and playmate. And we could not have asked for a better wife, mother, or grandmother. She will be greatly missed, but we will cherish the memories of her unending selflessness until the day we join her in Heaven.

Visitation will be held at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, 12777 State Rd 82, Fort Myers, Florida 33913 on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 from 1-2pm with the funeral service to immediately follow at 2pm. Interment will be in Lee Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, info, (239)334-4880.