1943 - 2016
Courtesy of Fresno Bee
Beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend, Stanley “Stan” J. Sanders, age 73, of Madera, CA, passed away surrounded by family on Friday, December 23, 2016.
Stan was born April 3, 1943, in Berkeley, Calif., to J.H. and Joan (Fahmie) Sanders, of Fresno. Stan graduated from Clovis High School in 1961, and at a very young age began a lifelong love affair with horses and rodeo beginning with his involvement in FFA, the Fresno County Junior Horse Owners Assoc., and the Sunnyside Junior Riding Club. Shortly thereafter and up until the time of his death, Stan was an active and accomplished member of the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Assoc.) and one of the 20 founding members of the ATRA (American Team Roping Assoc.). He was also a lifetime member of the PRCA Gold Card, and was one of the founding members of the team roping Gold Card division of the PRCA.
Although he won many awards throughout his professional rodeo career up until his passing, the two he was most proud of were winning the team roping event in his home town at the Clovis Rodeo in 1994, and winning the PRCA year-end team roping circuit. In 2013, Stan won his division at year end in the WCRA (West Coast Roping Assoc.). Still competing in 2014, he won his division at year-end in the ACTRA (American Cowboy Team Roping Assoc.) as well.
Stan had but a few loves in life. Number one was God, number two was family, three was team roping, and four was the car business. He started out in the automobile industry at the age of 14, detailing cars for his dad’s dealership, J.H. Sanders, in downtown Fresno. Over the years, Stan and his brother Steve owned and operated many dealerships including Ford, Chrysler/Plymouth, and Honda Motorcycles all in Clovis. At the age of 22, Stan was operating one of the highest grossing Ford dealerships in the western United States, and was one of the youngest in history to do so. In 1977, Stan developed and pioneered the “one stop shopping” concept and opened a 12-car showroom, stocking all makes and models of current year cars under one roof. In 2006, Stan was awarded the Independent Automobile Dealer Assoc. of Calif. dealer of the year award, and up until his passing, had remained an integral part of the success of J.H. Sanders Sales and Leasing.
Stan’s love for his family was evident in everything he did. From teaching all of his kids the value of a dollar and how to work for it, to dragging all four kids across the country on roping road trips and family vacations, to babying his daughters when they got but a sniffle, to cooking family dinners, to caring for his wife through her cancer treatment. While he was a long-time fixture in the business community, he was also known as a family man of his word, a respected teacher, and a man of faith. He will be greatly missed.
Stan leaves his wife of 43 years, Jackie (Hudson) Sanders; brother, Steve Sanders and his wife Cheri; children, Michael Sanders and wife Marci, Fahmie Geron and husband Dror, Stacy Peters and husband Patrick, and Jason Sanders and wife Nicole. He also leaves his grandchildren, Logan and Brody Sanders, Jonah and Jaden Geron, James and Levi Peters, and Jace Sanders; as well as his nephews, Skylar and Shawn Sanders. A Celebration of Life open house was held at the family home on January 6. Memorial donations may be made to www.abundantliferanchca.com.