Edward Sanderlin Jr.

June 16, 1945 - October 1, 2017

Edward Wilson Sanderlin, Jr. was born on June 16, 1945 to Edward Wilson Sanderlin and Micca Hall Sanderlin in Wendall, Idaho, joining three sisters.

He was raised in Idaho where his father was a mechanic for large equipment like bulldozers, but graduated from the Sweetgrass, Montana High School in 1963 where they moved after his father had his first heart attack. 

He enlisted in the Air Force and started Basic training at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, and was sent to Wadena, MN for his first assignment at a Radar Station. That is where he met Naidine Sanford, on the telephone, who was destined to be his wife. They married on Aug. 3, 1968 at her Baptist Church in Park Rapids, MN. 

He was sent back to Keesler AFB for more training to work in Germany. While he was gone, Naidine did her practice teaching of Spanish and English in New Prague, MN and graduated from Mankato State U just in time to go to Germany with Ed. Their son Craig was born at Hahn AFB hospital April 18, 1971. They returned to the USA, next stationed at Keesler once more. Ed was then sent to Murphy Dome AFB in Alaska, unaccompanied, returning a year later to be stationed at Wright Patt AFB in Ohio for 5 years. They bought their first house in Dayton, and Craig started school there and was part of the integration of the school systems. Another tour for 3 years followed that after Naidine and Craig had moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where Ed was supposed to be sent to Ford Aerospace for work on a project that he was going to do in Germany. They cancelled the project but kept Ed in Germany, where they reunited again living at Ramstein AFB while he worked 15 miles away at Sembach AFB. He attended the NCO Academy and got his Master Sergeant's rank. He was then sent to Saudi Arabia and Italy for short tours. Our headquarters were bombed while they were there in Ramstein - no one was killed but some were injured. A defect in the bombs foiled their intent to kill. Finally Ed landed at Scott AFB in 1983 where he worked until he retired from the Air Force in 1987 graduating the same year from McKendree College in Lebanon. He then earned his Master Degree from Webster U in St. Louis. He held jobs in the computer field at several St. Louis companies: Southwestern Bell, Mastercard, Computer Technology, May Company, and Federal Reserve Bank. He also worked several years for Computer Science Company in Fairview Heights and finally Harris Corporation at Scott AFB. He retired in late 2010 when Parkinson's Disease first appeared.

He and Naidine moved to Our Lady of the Snows Independent Living Apartment Community April 18, 2011, their son's birthday. The city of Mascoutah bought their home a year later. Ed enjoyed living at the Shrine and helped out where he could with things he had learned in his various jobs.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his wife Naidine, son Craig and daughter-in-law Tracie, grandsons Alex and Michael in St. Louis; sisters, Marie Ballard and her husband Dave in Bandon, OR, and their children Ward and Tina in Oregon; Phyllis and her husband Jim Gilman in Bandon, OR, and their children Layne and Dixie in California, and their families, Jerry and family in Wyoming; Glenna and her husband Bob Evans and her children Christy and Mike and families in WA.; also by Naidine's sister Enid Sanford in Edinburg, TX; her nieces Mary Sue Fickes and husband John in Moses Lake, WA, and their children Jennifer and her husband and their children Max and Oliver Bellevuell in Marysville WA; son John, and son Andrew Fickes and his wife Helen and daughter Jacqulyn in Tacoma, WA; nephew Jim Wilkins and his partner Denice and his daughter Leanne and her husband in Seattle, WA; Judy and her husband Mike Schreiner in Retonn, WA, and their children Courtney and her husband Charlie Kalka in Barney Lake WA; daughter Kelsey and her husband Allan Bathurst in Washington.

Ed's life touched many people over the years. He was one of the good guys.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the National Parkinson's Foundation. Additional memories and condolences may be made online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com.

Services: A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, October 7, 2017 at The Shrine, Our Lady of the Snows Chapel (inside the apartment community building), Belleville Illinois. Inurnment and full military honors will be rendered Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St Louis MO.

VALHALLA GAERDNER HOLTEN FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.
Published in Belleville News-Democrat