James Merritt Sanders

Chester Rev. James Merritt Sanders, 65, passed away Monday, November 2, 2020 at MUSC Lancaster.A graveside service will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday, November 4 , 2020 at Chester Memorial Gardens with Rev. Kevin Smith and Mr. Wayne Byars officiating.The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the graveside. A memorial service will be held for Rev. Sanders at a later time. Rev. Sanders was born February, 18, 1955 in Augusta, GA and was a son of Sarah Elizabeth Goodson Mackey and the late James Spivey Sanders. He was a graduate of Lancaster High School and Anderson Bible College and was also the Director of Beaver Creek Bible Institute. Rev. Sanders was the Pastor of First Free Will Baptist Church having served this Church for over 28 years. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist Association and also the founder of Hawthorne Christian Academy. In addition to his mother he is survived by his wife of over 45 years, Terry Talbert Sanders; three children, Brandee Sanders (Jamie) of Rock Hill, SC, James M. Sanders II of Columbia, SC and Ashley Dillinger (Ralph) of Chester, SC; grandchildren, Brittan Sinclair, Kaedyn Sinclair, Pasley Sanders, Brie Dillinger, Callista Dillinger, Juliette Dillinger, Bradley Dillinger, Scarlett Dillinger and Sawyer James Dillinger;sisters, Ann Meyer (Phil) of Evans, GA, and Connie Young (Greg) of Camden, SC; brother, Terry Lee Sanders (Carol) of Kershaw, SC and Perry Sanders of Cassatt, SC. He was preceded in death by one brother Eddie Sanders. Memorials may be made to the family at Hawthorne Christian Academy, 790 Hawthorne Road, Chester, SC 29706. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com