Steven Sanders

Steven Lowell Sanders passed peacefully on April 9, 2023.  Steve was born on February 6, 1955 in Lansing, Michigan. Steve graduated high school in 1973 at Cooper City, Florida and joined the U.S. Army shortly thereafter.  He was assigned to McNair Kaserne in Hochst, Germany where he met his wife of 45 years, Gail.  The two were married May 28, 1977 in Texas City, Texas and have made it their home ever since.

Steve received his Private Pilot’s license in 1973 at the age of 18.  Flying was a hobby which he shared with both his father and wife for many years. Steve and Gail purchased a Cessna 170A in 1997 and flew it on the weekends for the infamous $100 hamburger, as well as taking trips to various destinations such as West Texas, Tennessee, and Michigan. Steve enjoyed spending time at the hangar and swapping tales with fellow pilots almost as much as being in the air.

Steve retired from Marathon Petroleum Company in February 2013 after 36 years of employment.  Steve and Gail had always taken annual vacations in the United States and Canada while working, but now with no time restrictions, they expanded their destinations to Europe, South America, and Antarctica.  Steve enjoyed any type of travel, but his passion was the extreme.  He and Gail had just returned from Norway and Finland. Their destination in Finland took them 170 miles north of the Arctic Circle.  There they snowshoed on a frozen lake, took a reindeer sled ride, and observed the Northern Lights. Steve enjoyed every minute of that adventurous trip.

Steve leaves behind his loving wife, Gail, his second mother, Sandra Lee Sanders of Texas City, TX; sister, Karol Smith and husband, Kerry,  of Eddy, TX; nephew, Korey Smith and wife, Jennifer, of Bruceville, TX  and children, Keller and Brody; niece Lauren Davidson and husband, Curtis, of Hewitt, TX and children Maddox and Henry. He also leaves his brother Jeff Sanders and wife, Natasha, of Aurora, CO and children, Austin and Addison.

Steve is preceded in death by his father, Joe Sanders, and mother, Hazel, and sister, Janice Shupe.

A visitation will be held at 4:00 PM, Saturday, May 6,2023, followed by a memorial service at 5:00 PM, Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Emken-Linton Funeral Home in Texas City.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the charity of their choice.