David Joe Saunders, age 81, entered God’s Kingdom on November 18, 2021. He was born on May 17, 1940 in Rutherford, NC, the son of the late David and Dorothy Saunders. He was a loving, charitable person who loved traveling, cats and dogs, his yard work, and especially his beloved wife, Billie Ann and her loving family. His favorite poem was How do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and his favorite chapter in the Bible was 1 Corinthians 13.
He was a graduate of Belmont High School, class of 1958 and attended Brevard College, class of 1960. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 until 1964 where he volunteered for hazardous duty as a flight crew member with Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11, based in Argentia, Newfoundland and flew on surveillance missions over the Arctic Ocean.
After the Navy, he worked as an announcer/engineer at WORD Radio in Spartanburg, SC, KTOT Radio in Big Bear Lake, CA and WBSC Radio in Bennettsville, SC. In Charlotte, he worked as a control room engineer at WCCB-TV. In the late 1960s, he helped his father and his brother Charles start Saunders Thread Co. in Gastonia, where he was Vice-President of Sales. After leaving Saunders Thread Co., he worked in Sales at the Gaston Gazette until he retired from that position in 2002 and was also a long time member of The Gideons International.
In 2012 he met Billie Ann Byrd and it was love-at-first-sight; they were married in 2013 and lived in Gastonia.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in passing by his sisters Sarah and Katheryn.
He is survived by his wife, Billie A. Saunders; daughters, Crystal Duncan (Scott), Michelle Barnette (Mike); son, Scott Bragg (Tonya); grandchildren, Taylor (Mari Beth), Bobby (Stephanie), Brian, Brandon, Richard, Kristin, and Kyle (Doreen); great grandchildren, Lawson, Emma, Iris, Abe, and Kendall; beloved cats, Garfield and Callie Mae; brother, Charles Saunders; and several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held from 10:00 am until 11:00 am on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at Firestone Wesleyan Church with a Celebration of Life Service to begin at 11:00 am.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Firestone Wesleyan Church Building Fund.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com for the Saunders family
