Robert Steven Sanderson

Robert Steven “Steve” Sanderson passed away on Friday, January 7, 2022 after a short stay at UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh. Born on December 7, 1951 in Roanoke, Va., Steve moved to North Carolina as a teen where he attended Raleigh Vocational Center for many years before enjoying an early retirement with his parents to spend more time at Emerald Isle, visiting thrift stores and listening to his records.

Steve is preceded in death by his mother and father, Mary Jane Leonard Sanderson and Robert Torrance Sanderson; and his brothers Gregg Anthony Sanderson and Michael Wayne Sanderson. Steve is survived by his sister Susan Sanderson McLean and her husband Troy who shared a home with Steve, and their daughter Colleen of Swannanoa; his sister-in-law, Angela Stancil Sanderson of Faison; and the whole McLean family who embraced him and included him in all sorts of shenanigans over the years.

The family is heartbroken but finding comfort in knowing that Steve had his birthday and Christmas, which are always highlights of his year, and was surrounded by family and still celebrating Christmas on the 26th when his medical issues began. His whole life, he has enjoyed the love and support of family and many good friends and neighbors in his community. He lived his best life and helped us to live ours.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, January 13 at 11 a.m. at Raleigh Memorial Park. A memorial will be held later in the year to celebrate his life in true Steve fashion. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Disability Rights North Carolina (disabilityrightsnc.org) where his sister works and Steve was included and accepted as part of the DRNC family or Able to Serve (abletoserve.org), the faith-based community program he enjoyed attending for the past seven years.