Obituary of John Matthew Sanders

"Death is a fact of life. You can avoid thinking about it, but you cannot avoid the appointment (Heb. 9:27). The only way to be prepared for death is to receive God's gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:9-13), and then obey God's will until He calls you." John Matthew Sanders, son of Terrell Sanders Sr. and Margarite Fiveash Sanders, was called Home on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 4:00 in the afternoon. He was surrounded by his children who loved him deeply and his sweetheart of 54 years, Mary Charlotte Piper Sanders. John accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in the summer of 1963, the same year he and Charlotte married. Raised on a farm, John had a special knack for making things grow and enjoyed various outdoor activities such as tending to his yard, fishing in the Gulf, and taking leisurely walks. He had a passion for coffee, inflicting "love pinches" on his beloved children and amusing others with his dry sense of humor. His immediate family, especially, would attest that he could fix you with his bright blue eyes and quip something witty or hilarious when you least expected it. But most significant was his love of scripture. John consistently engaged himself and family in daily devotionals and was always eager to speak of Christ's love. Traditional hymns were his music of choice and he delighted in raising his voice on Sunday mornings while readying himself for church. In addition to serving the Lord, John also served his country. At the age of nineteen John enlisted in the US Air Force and spent many years overseas, stationed in both Germany and Japan and travelling extensively throughout Europe. In 1968 John was sent to Vietnam where he spent the next year in a combat zone. He retired honorably from the US Air Force in 1975, at which time he followed God's call into the ministry, enrolling in the Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His next twenty years were spent preaching the gospel, putting God first and living obediently by faith as a full-time pastor. After retiring from the ministry full-time, he served as interim pastor at several churches until 2015. John was a generous, kind soul, devoted husband and exceptional father whose life was a testimony of God's grace and love to all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Mary (Charlotte) Piper Sanders; his son, Michael Sanders (Cathy), his daughters, Heather Cromer (Blake) and Misty Fletcher (Randy); his grandchildren, Sydney Smith, Savannah Smith and Hallie Jean Brock; his sister, June Tyler and Ann Roberts. He was predeceased by his brothers, Terrell (Jack) Sanders Jr., Bill Sanders, Bruce Sanders; his sisters, Joyce Peters and Sarah Pierce. A steward of Christ, Mr. Sanders fought the good fight, weathered the storm, and now resides with our Heavenly Father in Paradise. Rejoice! Funeral services for Pastor John Matthew Sanders, USAF (ret.), will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at West Columbia First Church of the Nazarene, 350 Wattling Road, West Columbia, SC. Pastors Bill Harmon and Harry Varn will officiate. Burial, with full USAF honors, will follow the service in Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at the church prior to the service.