Ray Franklin Sanders

Funeral services for Ray Franklin Sanders, 66, of Cope, SC will be held at eleven o’clock a.m., Thursday, September 22, 2022 at Ghents Branch Baptist Church with the Reverends Bert Petty and Ken Sandifer officiating; burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Pallbearers will be Harry Gillam, Curtis Hogg, Norman Kirkland, Mike Potchebski, Wayne Shaw and Eric Williams. Memorial contributions may be given to Ghents Branch Baptist Church, 1974 Ghents Branch Rd., Denmark, SC 29042. Ray passed away on Friday, September 16, 2022.

Born in Bamberg County, SC, he was a son of Betty Smoak Sanders and the late Billy Franklin Sanders. He was a member of Ghents Branch Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and retired after working 28 years at Savannah River Site. He was an avid fisherman who enjoyed fish frys at Ghents Branch and also loved to hunt. Ray enjoyed cooking bar-b-que chicken and frying fish; he was always sharing with others and recently started making hash. He supported his children all through sports and events; he attended every game that his children ever played.

Survivors include his loving wife of 43 years Sheila Darnell Sanders; children Lee F. (Chrissie) Sanders of West Warwick, RI, Amber S. (Erice) Williams, and Drew Sanders all of Bamberg; grandchildren Ian, Chrissa, Archer, and Kyler Williams; his sister Debbie (David) Zorn; brother Billy Dean (Dale) Sanders all of Cope, SC; mother-in-law Bertha Mae Darnell of Blackville and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his father Billy Sanders, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law Joe Darnell.

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