Ben Allen Sanders, Sr.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday January
17, 2009 at the Cool Springs Baptist Church for Mr. Ben
Allen Sanders, Sr. 68 Gainesville. The Rev. Ricky Stone, the
Rev. Dean Bryant and Rev. Franklin Grant will officiate.
Interment will follow in the Siloam Baptist Church Cemetery
in Lumpkin County.

The family will receive friends at the Mason & Ward Funeral
Home Friday January 16, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00
p.m.and 6:00 p.m until 9:00 p.m.

Ben Sanders was born in Oxford, MS December 1, 1940 to
Catherine Allen and Ben Ward Sanders. He grew up in
Piedmont, Alabama and Dahlonega, Ga. where his father was a
professor of biology at North Georgia College. He attended
Lumpkin County High School, Young Harris College and the
University of Georgia. He joined the Navy serving on Guam
and in Long Beach, CA. He was stationed aboard a destroyer
which served as an escort for a carrier in the Gulf of
Tonkin. These ships were fired on and this action is
recognized as the beginning of the U.S. involvement in the
war in Vietnam. After his discharge, Ben returned to the
University of Georgia and received his degree in forestry.
He was employed by the U.S. Forest Service and was assigned
to national forests in Tuscaloosa, AL, Ocala, FL and
Asheville, NC before joining the Georgia staff as a wildlife
biologist at their office in Gainesville, GA. He was retired
from the U.S. Forest Service.

Ben was married to Mary Lee Sanders, who preceded him in
death on January 8, 2009. He is survived by his children;
Ben A. and Lisa Sanders of Cumming, GA, their children,
Colin, Eric and Megan; his daughter Leigh Ann and Brandon
Hobgood of McDonough, GA. Stepsons, Scott Armour and fiance
Debra Robinson of Tallahassee, FL, Benjamin (Denny) and
Diane Armour of Gainesville, GA. Stepgrandchildren are
Latasha Armour, Bailey Armour, Trent Armour and Sierra
Hobgood. Several other relatives also survive.

Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at
masonandwardfuneralhomeandcremation.com

Mason & Ward Funeral Home, 1190 McEver Road, Gainesville,
Ga.