Dr. Ivan (Terry) Sanders
March 10, 1924 – September 21, 2014
BOWIE – Dr. Ivan (Terry) Sanders, 90, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014.
A memorial service for Sanders was at 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at Newport Baptist Church in Newport with pastor Tommy Mayo officiating.
He was born in Kerens, TX on March 10, 1924 to Dr. G.H. and Bessie Coates Sanders, and throughout his life he was a hometown favorite.
At the age of three, he contracted polio which affected one of his legs and left him with a limp. He was, however, determined to overcome this obstacle and excel at sports and he did. By the time he graduated from Kerens High School, he had been named “Most Valuable Player” on the football team and was extended a scholarship to play football at Schreiner Military Academy in Kerrville.
While attending the academy, he also played violin in the orchestra and sang with a dance band. He transferred to Baylor University to pursue a pre-med degree and became a successful collegiate weight lifter. He was regarded as a very handsome young man and his Baylor yearbook refers to him as “Hercules!”
His education at Baylor was interrupted as a result of being called into the U.S. Army during a time when physicians were in great need. He was transferred to Cornell University in NY in order to expedite his education and later graduated from Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He practiced medicine with his father in Kerens and served on staff at the Navarro County Memorial Hospital for several years prior to being called back into the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War where he served as a military physician in Goose Bay, Labrador (far North Canada; province of Newfoundland) at the Strategic Air Command for 18 months.
His wife, Jurahee Butler Sanders, and their three small children, Karen, Bruce and Kent remained in Kerens and the day of his return is indelibly marked in each of their memories. Son, Blake, was born later.
Dr. Sanders joined the staff at the Bowie Clinic with several other beloved Bowie physicians in 1960. He served as a family physician and surgeon for approximately 30 years prior to his retirement.
During that time, he also served as sports team physician, school board member, a director of Bowie National Bank and other civic endeavors. He also held top offices in the state medical board association. He was a gifted tenor soloist and was asked to sing at many weddings, funerals and other civic musical events. Throughout his life, he raised several breeds of horses and cow dogs and was regarded across the country as an authority in many areas pertaining to horses.
During his retirement years, he and his wife, Dorothy Jenkins Sanders, enjoyed organizing and performing at musical jam sessions where he played fiddle and guitar and sang. He began the Buffalo Spring Jam Session gatherings on Tuesday evenings which have become a popular weekly gathering for country musicians in that area.
He had accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was a member of the Newport Baptist Church.
In his last days, he took great joy in talking about the Lord and he was ready to be with Jesus. His family joins together in praising God for his salvation and look forward to spending eternity with him.
His son, Bruce, went to be with the Lord in May of 2013.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Dorothy, who was his sweetheart and best friend; children, Karen Morris, Fort Worth, Kent Sanders, Burleson and Blake Sanders, Midland; brother, Dr. Richard Sanders, Kaufman; and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren and lifetime friends who will greatly miss him.
Memorial donations may be made to Newport Baptist Church or the Young Fiddle Students Fund at the Randy Elmore Fiddle Camp.
Arrangements are entrusted to Shaw’s Funeral Home.
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