Julius Taft Sanders Jr.

Julius Taft Sanders, Jr. enveloped by the love of his family and amid the prayers of his many friends, entered into an eternal life of peace, grace and tranquility, free of the pain and difficult health battles he faced with such bravery and good humor.

Sandy was born in Charlotte and grew up in Gastonia, NC. He was a member of the class of 1966 at UNC Chapel Hill, where he was an enthusiastic brother of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and where he became a lifelong fan of Carolina athletics. Sandy was also a graduate of Elon University.

Friendship was his forte', and he loved getting to know people, making him a natural for the many years he spent in sales representing the industrial and textile fastener industry, and in later years selling the medical devices that saved his life after suffering cardiac arrest in 1997. The miracle continued, as he was granted twenty more years of life following an event that few survive. His circle of friends and acquaintances was wide and diverse, one result being he was a man known by many names, including Sandy, Taft, Julius, J.T. and lovingly "Beastie". Sandy's mother called him her "sun", a reflection of his everlasting zest for life and the joy and fun he brought. He had a sharp mind and a quick wit which he never lost, and he loved to start the day working the word jumble and the crossword puzzle. Sandy was a "foodie" before it was fashionable. From his years of travel he knew and recommended every little dining spot up and down the east coast, and he loved to duck into the worst looking hole in the wall restaurants, be it in London or Hong Kong or Charlotte to sample cuisines of the world. Sandy also loved to cook, usually with excellent results but not always. He loved traveling the world and was so fortunate through the years to visit many European cities, Hong Kong and China and he delighted in cruising to the Caribbean, Bahamas and European ports of call. Sandy's life exemplified the Mark Twain quote "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness" for he enjoyed people of all ages, ethnicities, beliefs and occupations, no matter their stature in life. Sandy was a good and true friend, always willing to be helpful and supportive, and he was an inveterate gift giver, a rememberer of birthdays and a harmonica player.

Sandy is preceded in death by his parents, Mary Clare Stokes and Julius Taft Sanders; his in-laws who loved him dearly, Elizabeth and Leon Norfleet of Richmond, VA; his maternal and paternal grandparents; his aunts and uncles; and cousins, Kaigler Newell and Ken Stokes. He is also preceded in death by his beloved niece, Mary Clare Turner; dear godson, William Bagwell; longtime buddies, Richard Finch and Zeke Zechella; and his sweet little Maltese, Lady. Sandy expected they would all have a joyous reunion.

Family left to cherish so many memories of life's journey together are Sandy's wife, Betty, whom he met at Chapel Hill and married forty-one years ago and who will always love him; his adored children and grandchildren, Elizabeth and David Walker and their sons, William Julius and James Sanders Walker, and Whitney and Taft Sanders III and their children, Elizabeth Carter and Hugh Norfleet Sanders. Also surviving are Sandy's sister, Clare Sanders Turner and husband John, their son John Turner, Jr. and his family, and sister, Carolyn Elizabeth Sanders; his cousins, Jack Stokes and family, Corinna Stokes Bailey and family, and James Thornton and family; Betty's sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Gordon "Buddy" Penick and their sons, Gordon and William and their families; and family by marriage, Bill and Eva May Walker and David "Cooler" and Faith Inglis and their families.

We will be forever grateful for the excellent, loving, compassionate and tender care given by the staff of Carolinas Medical ICU and Progressive Care in helping our family through these past weeks.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Sandy Sanders will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 21 at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Place, Charlotte. The family will receive friends following the service in Oxford Hall.

For those who wish to send a memorial in Sandy's name, please consider Friendship Trays of Charlotte or the Humane Society of Charlotte.