Ray Gene Sanders Sr.

Ray was born in Mangum, Oklahoma on July 1, 1940.

On February 12, 1965 he married Susan Blanton. They raised their two sons, Ray Gene, Jr. and Thomas Dean. Ray enjoyed lots of interests throughout his lifetime. He enjoyed target practice at the pistol range, dove hunting, motorcycles, raising horses and pleasure riding them in the foothills, and also fishing. He was an avid reader and especially enjoyed westerns (Louis L’Amour), suspense/action (Stuart Woods), and war stories.

Ray served over 20 years in the military. He retired from the U. S. Navy in 1978. While serving in the Navy, Ray was in naval aviation as an aviation mechanic. In 1965, Ray was part of VAH-7 “The Peacemakers of the Fleet” that operated from the deck of the world’s first nuclear-powered carrier, USS Enterprise, and Ray was part of the crew that maintained the supersonic North American A-5A “Vigilante” jet planes during their around the world tour July – October 1964. The last seven years of Ray’s Navy career were spent in navy recruiting. Ray recruited sailors that were exiting their military service into the Naval Reserve. He recruited during the weekdays and held training sessions one weekend a month at NAS, Lemoore.

When Ray retired from the Navy, he went to horse-shoeing school and then attended Reedley College. He stayed busy caring for two school-age sons and also helped his mother and stepfather.

Ray was preceded in death by his father, Arden Ray Sanders; stepmother, Maxine Sanders; his mother, Jeanne Reynolds; his stepfather, Adrain Reynolds; his brother, Royce Dean Sanders; and his uncle, John E. Parker. He is survived by his wife, Susan, two sons, Ray Gene and Tom; his two grandsons, Karsten and Quade; his aunt, Clota Parker; his sister-in-law, Patty Sanders; his two stepbrothers, John David Reynolds and Robert Reynolds; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the Campus Bible Church, 222 E. Fountain Way, Fresno, CA 93704 (Palm/Shields).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the SANDERS SR. family.