Tommy Lee Sanders exited this world on February 20, 2025 after 84 years of living. And live, he did.  Born in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Tom had a lifelong fascination with the natural world. He caught rattlesnakes and cottonmouths with his bare hands, busted thermometers to play with the mercury, and on at least two occasions, stood outside and observed tornadoes ripping by instead of seeking shelter like a normal human being. He was valedictorian of his high school class, an Eagle Scout, captain of his military drill team, and an accomplished swimmer and diver. He loved sitting on the porch when thunderstorms rolled in, and enjoyed looking at the moon, stars, and finding planets with his telescope. His deepest passion was scuba diving, and he travelled the world over to swim with sharks, stingrays, and during one encounter, came face-to-face with a moray eel, which thrilled him to no end.

He chased geese on a Sea-Doo when they soiled his yard, smacked an alligator on the snout with a pool noodle, and jumped out of an airplane on his 60th birthday after beating colon cancer. He was a legendary Little League coach, impacting dozens of boys by simply being himself. He drank only whole milk, buttered nearly everything, and preferred his steaks rare and his whiskey neat. However, occasionally he'd pour bourbon directly over a bowl of vanilla ice-cream, in the same way a child might squeeze out a healthy drizzle of chocolate syrup.  "It's all going to the same place," he'd say.  Tom was nothing if not efficient. The Bourbon Float™ might be his greatest contribution to humankind.

Above all else, Tom loved his country. He served as an officer in the Army and fought in Vietnam, a war that haunted and conflicted him until his final days. He was the definition of duty and honor.  If there was one single thing that encapsulated Tom Sanders, it was his loyalty to country, to sacrificing for the greater good.

During his entire 84 years on this planet, Tom never once bit his tongue (or held it, for that matter.) This quality helped create a fair number of enemies along the way, but even more admirers. He always stood-up for what he believed was right, regardless of consequence. He protected those who couldn't protect themselves, believed every human being was equal and should be treated as such, and was disgusted and furious by corruption, chaos, and cruelty. He refused to remain silent on these matters and was incapable of suffering fools lightly. A shrinking violet, Tom was not.

He leaves behind his wife, Margaret, two children, Scott and Laura, his sister, Donna, his daughter-in-law Jocey, and son-in-law Chad. In addition, he had three grandchildren, Mason, Regan, and Connor. Tom was complicated and complex, highly intelligent, witty and funny, opinionated, childlike at times, and a soldier at heart.  He was a full human who lived life fully, and made no bones about his belief that when this tour was over, it was over.  That's all folks. When his wife asked him, "What should we do with your ashes when you're gone?" he replied, without missing a beat, "Surprise me."

Rest in peace, Pops.  You were one of a kind and we loved you.

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A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 29th from 2-4 at the Main Line Art Center in Haverford, PA. In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation in Tom's honor to his favorite charity, (run by his daughter), Paws and Affection. www.pawsandaffection.org