Mrs. Hazel J. Sanders

She is survived by her son Tony (Janet), daughter Dorothy, son Michael, stepson, Billy (Vicky), stepdaughter, Brenda (Fred), sister Dorothy (Doug), sister Nancy (Don), and brother-in-law Laverne. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband, Wilburn, her daughter, Teresa, her father and mother, Harvey and Birdie Miles, and her twin sister, Carol.

She was a curly, auburn haired little girl. Close to her family and sisters, she grew up in a very loving home. She married James Rieder, of Canton, MS at a young age and had 4 children: 2 boys and 2 girls. They later divorced and she married Wilburn Sanders - an entrepreneur. She was a huge help in many of his endeavors. However, her most cherished role was being a mother and homemaker for her family.

Multitalented, she loved to create and repurpose. She made clothes, purses, quilts, baby blankets, and aprons. She crocheted afghans, coasters, doilies and dishtowels. She made doll furniture and refinished furniture. She was truly artistic and would envision a creation in the most ordinary objects. She journaled almost daily for many years. She recently wrote 2 children stories for her grandchildren. She was a generous woman and loved giving and doing for others. She enjoyed vacationing with family, making trips to Disney World, Dollywood, Silver Dollar City, and taking trips to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Destin, Florida. She and her husband went on cruises to Alaska and the Bahamas. She loved taking her grandchildren shopping or to the movies, eating at restaurants with them, and making a special blanket or thoughtful gift for them.

She loved life and people. Before her health declined, she loved walking her dog Bandit daily. Molly and Dolly, her cats, were a huge source of entertainment for her. She loved her church family at St. Therese Catholic Church where she attended regularly for many years. She loved talking and visiting with people. It’s been said she never met a stranger. She loved keeping in touch with her family - whether in person or on the phone and she loved receiving cards and letters from them. Her memory was amazing. She knew everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries - even many acquaintances. She would send out birthday cards, letters, pictures, and greeting cards to her loved ones routinely. After her daughter Teresa passed away, she moved to Oklahoma to live with her daughter Dorothy and her son-in-law, Billie. She started dialysis shortly after moving there. She met new friends: neighbors, nurses, family friends, and her new church family at St. Thomas More. All who knew her, loved her. She just had that charming endearment about her. She loved her family and prayed the rosary, praying for each family member or friends specific needs at the time. She wanted people to know and love God.

On November 13th, she suffered a massive stroke. Initially making some recovery, she fought hard for 3 more weeks. The night of her stroke, knowing something was wrong, she said “tell everybody I love them.” She will be fondly remembered by her family and friends for her generous and loving nature. We thank her for teaching us the value of family and faith. We look forward to joining her in Heaven.