Pastor James Leroy Sanders, age 82, of Booneville, Kentucky, passed away on Monday, July 20, 2026, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He was born on July 30, 1944, and he lived a life marked by faith, devotion, service, and a deep love for his family and the Lord he served so faithfully.
Leroy was a Christian man whose life reflected the truth he preached. He wore many hats throughout his years, but his greatest joy was always found in preaching and teaching God's word. He was a man who practiced what he preached, and he carried himself with a spirit of humility, forgiveness, and prayer. He loved people, and he never hesitated to offer encouragement, a helping hand, or a word of faith to anyone in need. His life was a testimony of steady devotion and quiet strength, and those who knew him will remember him as loving and faith-filled.
He grew up in Smyrna, North Carolina, surrounded by a large and close-knit family (with seven sisters and four brothers), and he learned early the value of hard work, responsibility, and love for others. He married the love of his life at the age of 19, and together they shared 62 beautiful years of marriage. That union was a blessing to all who knew them, and it stood as a powerful example of commitment, patience, and enduring love. Leroy and Anda built a life together centered on faith and family, and he cherished every moment spent with her and their children.
Leroy worked many jobs over the course of his life to provide for those he loved, and he retired from First Craven Water, also known as the Sanitary District, in Bridgeton, North Carolina. Even after retirement, his calling was not finished. He later moved to Chocowinity to accept the pastor's position at Chocowinity Church of God, where he continued serving with joy and purpose. Nearly 15 years ago, he received a call to pastor Scoville Church of God in Kentucky, and that opportunity allowed him to live among the mountains he had long prayed to see before his earthly journey ended. There, he served faithfully for many years, preaching the gospel and blessing countless lives with his words, his prayers, and his example.
Leroy loved the mountains, and each year he looked forward to taking his family there for vacation. He also loved the water and once had a boat, which gave him the joy of taking his children fishing. Whether in the mountains or on the water, he delighted in God's creation and found peace in the beauty of the world around him. More than anything, he loved his family and was always there with a helping hand. He instilled in them the life lessons he had learned as a young man, and he lived in a way that taught by example. His kindness, his faith, and his willingness to forgive made a lasting impression on everyone blessed to know him.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Anda Sanders of Booneville, Kentucky; three sons, William Edward and Jan Sanders of Morehead City, North Carolina, Michael Ray Sanders of Newport, North Carolina, and Johnny Wayne and Wanda Sanders of Blunts Creek, North Carolina; one daughter, Angela Renee and Bobby Meadows of Maysville, North Carolina; two brothers, Pete and Jackie Sanders of Smyrna, North Carolina, and Raymond and Judy Sanders of Smyrna, North Carolina; five sisters, Jeanette and Thomas Willis of Smyrna, North Carolina, Shirley and Jimmy Branton of New Bern, North Carolina, Dorothy Aligood of Vanceboro, North Carolina, Vanessa and Bubba Willis of Smyrna, North Carolina, and Grace Jenkins of Jacksonville, North Carolina; grandchildren Matthew, Melanie, Bryan, Hunter, Krystal, Kristopher, Michael Jr., Brandy, Kayla, Johnny Jr., Andrew, Trey, and Shelbi; 17 great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends who loved him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Viola Sanders; one son, James Leroy Sanders Jr.; one grandson, Charlie Rowe; two brothers; and two sisters. Though his family grieves this earthly loss, they rejoice in the hope of eternal life and the promise of God's presence. His legacy remains alive in the lives he touched, the prayers he prayed, the sermons he preached, and the faith he lived out before others.
One of the greatest truths he embodied is found in the words of Billy Graham, who said, "My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world." Leroy lived with that heavenly perspective. He understood that life is a journey of faith, and he encouraged others to walk it with courage, grace, and trust in God. His life reminds us that a faithful servant is never forgotten, because the seeds he plants in love and truth continue to grow long after he is gone.
Leroy will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather and great-grandfather, faithful pastor, and a man whose heart belonged to God and to his family. His voice may now be silent on earth, but the message of his life still speaks. He leaves behind a powerful example of what it means to serve the Lord with all one's heart, to love family deeply, and to live each day with gratitude, prayer, and faith.
Services were held in Booneville, KY.
No services are scheduled in NC at this time.
