Kenneth Lee Sanders March 28, 1967 – February 07, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Kenneth Lee Sanders was born March 28th, 1967 in San Bernardino, California and passed away February 7, 2019 in Yuma, Arizona. He spent his formative years in St. Joseph, Missouri and graduated high school from Central High in 1985. Shortly thereafter he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, he met his wife and the love of his life while posted at his first duty station in 29 Palms, California and served proudly for twenty years retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant having done tours both in Desert Storm and Desert Shield during the Gulf War.
Following retirement from the Marines, Ken joined the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff in 2005. He quickly distinguished himself on patrol and led the Narcotics task force for seven years after which he was promoted to one of two Lieutenant positions at the Yuma County Detention facility. Ken was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2017 and continued to work until his illness forced him into early retirement in December of 2018.
His moral compass was second to none and he always did what was right regardless of any sort of blowback. He was a man of the highest integrity, spending his entire life protecting first our freedom, our country and then Yuma County which he chose to make his home and raise his children. He was never afraid to put his life on the line to defend his fellow man and was always there to lend a helping hand especially to his fellow Marine and Officers.
Ken was an all-American man; he loved God, country, and jamming out to the Eagles. He enjoyed playing cards, darts, and all manners of games with friends and family. He could fix anything, build anything, and accomplished anything he set his mind to.
He loved to read, to learn and was always striving to better himself although he always had time for good science fiction or fantasy novel. He made a killer brisket and the best biscuits and gravy you ever had. Family was the most important thing to Ken and despite his many accomplishments through both of his careers he was most proud of his family and his home.
He was the best father anyone could ask for and strived to teach everything he knew to his four children and grandchildren. His love for his wife was legendary, and they were in fact so in love that they were married no less then three times over the course of their thirty-two-year marriage. The world was a better place with him in it, but Ken’s ideals, morals and vision for this world will live on in the lives of everyone that knew him and in all the lives that he changed.
His was a life that others will measure their own by. He is survived by his loving wife Yolanda Sanders, his eldest son Xavier and wife Gabriela, his son Zachery, daughter Lauren and youngest child Seth as well as his brother Danny his wife Jannice and their daughter Kaci. Remembering him also is his mother Guadalupe, sister in law Isabel and her husband Ruben and brother in law Ricardo.
They will keep his memory alive for his grandchildren Zechariah, Gabriel, Jasper, and Kenny. He will be missed also by siblings Bonnie, Tommy, Dawn and Gary and his best friend Mark he is preceded in death by mother Claudia Kay Sweeney and father Gary Surber as well as his brother Glenn.
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