Nina Phyllis Saunders

Mrs. Nina Phyllis Saunders, age 93, of Gainesville, formerly of Sarasota, Florida, passed away Friday, September 27, 2019 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Gainesville.

Memorial Services will be 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019 at St. Mary & St. Martha of Bethany Episcopal Church, Buford.  Interment of ashes will be at a later date at Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, Florida.

Mrs. Saunders was born August 18, 1926 in Russia, the daughter of Philip and Ksenyar Warna and the oldest of four children.  She was captured at the age of 16 as a prisoner of war by the German Army near the end of World War II and brought to Germany as forced labor to work in a laboratory. At the end of the war she emigrated to the United States and became an American citizen which she was always proud of. She spent 43 years as a priest’s wife serving in parishes in California and Florida.

She was predeceased by her husband, Rev. Ferdinand D. Saunders. Her greatest loves were God, her husband and family, and the United States of America.

Mrs. Saunders is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Linda and Leonard Coulombe, Flowery Branch Ga; three grandchildren Joshua (Kathleen) Chace, Mt. Airy MD, Gregory (Alissa) Coulombe, Statesville NC, and Melissa (Michael) Sullivan, Manchester NH; eight great grandchildren, Emelie Cocozziello, Isabella Cocozziello, Audrey Chace, Wesley Chace, Dylan Chace, Veronica Coulombe, Elizabeth Coulombe and Gregory Coulombe Jr.; and two nieces Barbara Anderson and Susan Scrobola.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Mary and St. Martha Endowment Fund, c/o St. Mary and St. Martha of Bethany Episcopal Church, 4346 Ridge Road, Buford, Georgia 30519.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 is in charge of arrangements.  Send on-line condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.