Obituary for Colonel Bill Edmund Sanders Jr.
Colonel William E. Sanders, Jr. (“Wild Bill”), 75, of Mercersburg, PA, passed away on March 24th at his home after a 22 month battle with pancreatic cancer. Bill was born on October 7th, 1946, the eldest son of William E. Sanders, Sr. and Bertha Mae (Messner) Sanders. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Amy (Bigham) Sanders, his four children, Mark Sanders (wife Mary,), Kevin Sanders (wife Nadine), Alison Luger (husband Mike), and step-daughter Jennifer Carmichael; his four grandchildren, Dillon Sanders, Clay Sanders, Russell Singhas, and Mali Luger; his four siblings, Becky Wirt (husband Bill) , Susan Adams (husband Jeff), James Anthony (Tony) Sanders (wife Kim), and Lisa Ammenhauser (husband Rick), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Bill attended Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg, MD, and graduated from St. Joseph High School with the class of 1964. During his years at St. Joseph’s, he was on the varsity basketball team in his Junior and Senior years. He then attended Mt. St. Mary’s College and graduated in 1968 with a B.S. degree in Accounting. He subsequently received a Master’s in Business Administration from Mount St. Mary’s College in 1982.
Bill was a retired Marine Corps Colonel, having served 30 years in the Marine Corps Reserves. His periods of active duty included a tour of combat duty in Vietnam and five months of active duty during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His military awards included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with a Combat V, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Citation, the Vietnamese Service Medal, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal, the National Defense Ribbon, the Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal, and the Armed Forces Medal. During his period of service, he also attended and graduated from the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff School, and the Naval War College.
Bill began his employment career working on a sawmill and was able to apply his talents carrying lumber and making industrial pallets, as well as other mechanical and operational skills that he used all his life. After his release from active duty in 1971, he worked in public accounting, and then worked for the old Central Chemical Company for five years as the corporate controller. He then worked for twenty years for D.L. Martin Company in Mercersburg, PA. He started as a controller and worked up to be Executive VP of Finance. He then went to Duvinage Corp. in Hagerstown as President and CEO for 9 years, retiring in 2010 after selling the company to a private investment group. Bill subsequently was employed by Rotz & Stonesifer as the Senior Manager for 15 years, all the way to the end of his life, as he retired Jan 2nd, 2022.
Outside of work, Wild Bill enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and poker with his friends, as well as helping as many people as possible by being an active member of many local civic organizations. During his life he spent time as a Little League coach, an assistant Scout Master, a Boy Scout Troop committee man, a member of the board of directors of St. Joseph’s Ministries retirement home in Emmitsburg, MD, a member of the board of directors of the Gettysburg Health Corporation, a Finance Committee member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church, a past Commander and current President of the Home Association of Harry Lackhove Post #517 of the American Legion, and past Commander of the Franklin-Fulton Bi-County chapter of the American Legion. He was also a life member, former Assistant Chief, and current member of the board of directors for the MMPW Fire and Ambulance company, a current member and past President of the Mercersburg Chamber of Commerce, an honorary life member of the Vigilant Hose company of Emmitsburg, MD, and a life member and past secretary of the Guardian Hose Company of Thurmont, MD, as well as being the Mercersburg Business Person of the year in 2016.
A visitation will be held at Fries Funeral Home Mercersburg, PA on Wednesday March 30, 2022 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM and on Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00PM with a Rosary Service starting at 7:30 PM. A funeral will be held 2:00PM on Friday, April 1, 2022 at St. Mark The Evangelist Church, Greencastle PA, with Father Walter Guzman officiating and Father Stuhara as co celebrate. Burial and military honors will take place at Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg PA. Following the burial, a reception will be held at Mercersburg American Legion Post 517.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mercersburg American Legion Post 517.
Bill attended Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg, MD, and graduated from St. Joseph High School with the class of 1964. During his years at St. Joseph’s, he was on the varsity basketball team in his Junior and Senior years. He then attended Mt. St. Mary’s College and graduated in 1968 with a B.S. degree in Accounting. He subsequently received a Master’s in Business Administration from Mount St. Mary’s College in 1982.
Bill was a retired Marine Corps Colonel, having served 30 years in the Marine Corps Reserves. His periods of active duty included a tour of combat duty in Vietnam and five months of active duty during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His military awards included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with a Combat V, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Citation, the Vietnamese Service Medal, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal, the National Defense Ribbon, the Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal, and the Armed Forces Medal. During his period of service, he also attended and graduated from the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff School, and the Naval War College.
Bill began his employment career working on a sawmill and was able to apply his talents carrying lumber and making industrial pallets, as well as other mechanical and operational skills that he used all his life. After his release from active duty in 1971, he worked in public accounting, and then worked for the old Central Chemical Company for five years as the corporate controller. He then worked for twenty years for D.L. Martin Company in Mercersburg, PA. He started as a controller and worked up to be Executive VP of Finance. He then went to Duvinage Corp. in Hagerstown as President and CEO for 9 years, retiring in 2010 after selling the company to a private investment group. Bill subsequently was employed by Rotz & Stonesifer as the Senior Manager for 15 years, all the way to the end of his life, as he retired Jan 2nd, 2022.
Outside of work, Wild Bill enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and poker with his friends, as well as helping as many people as possible by being an active member of many local civic organizations. During his life he spent time as a Little League coach, an assistant Scout Master, a Boy Scout Troop committee man, a member of the board of directors of St. Joseph’s Ministries retirement home in Emmitsburg, MD, a member of the board of directors of the Gettysburg Health Corporation, a Finance Committee member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church, a past Commander and current President of the Home Association of Harry Lackhove Post #517 of the American Legion, and past Commander of the Franklin-Fulton Bi-County chapter of the American Legion. He was also a life member, former Assistant Chief, and current member of the board of directors for the MMPW Fire and Ambulance company, a current member and past President of the Mercersburg Chamber of Commerce, an honorary life member of the Vigilant Hose company of Emmitsburg, MD, and a life member and past secretary of the Guardian Hose Company of Thurmont, MD, as well as being the Mercersburg Business Person of the year in 2016.
A visitation will be held at Fries Funeral Home Mercersburg, PA on Wednesday March 30, 2022 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM and on Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00PM with a Rosary Service starting at 7:30 PM. A funeral will be held 2:00PM on Friday, April 1, 2022 at St. Mark The Evangelist Church, Greencastle PA, with Father Walter Guzman officiating and Father Stuhara as co celebrate. Burial and military honors will take place at Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg PA. Following the burial, a reception will be held at Mercersburg American Legion Post 517.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mercersburg American Legion Post 517.