Obituary for Nora "Maxine" Sanderson
Nora “Maxine” Sanderson, 87, of Franklin, passed away on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
She was born on March 7, 1933 to Madgelen and Kenneth Snoddy at their home in Marion, IL. During her school years, they moved to Chicago, IL several times but they always returned to Marion and Maxine graduated from high school there in 1950. She was an Honor Roll student, having excelled in Gregg shorthand and typewriting. She used those skills in all her places of employment over the years. Maxine chose not to go to college but married young and had three children, Marsha Jean, John Charles and Kenneth Eugene Turner. That marriage failed and Maxine was a single parent for two years. In April of 1965, she met Merrill J. “Sandy” Sanderson whose Louisiana employer sent him to Marion temporarily – they married that August and Maxine and her three children moved to Louisiana. In June 1966, their daughter April was born in Monroe, LA. In 1970 the family relocated to Baton Rouge, LA. They lived there for 25 years and during that time both Maxine and Sandy began to do volunteer work. Maxine helped in the Battered Women’s Program and found it very meaningful. In 1995 Sandy retired and they moved to Albuquerque, NM, where April was attending UNM for a degree in occupational therapy. Maxine’s volunteer work in Albuquerque was with United Way, Junior Achievement, The Albuquerque Newcomers Club, and Bear Canyon Senior Center. She served on the National Board for Funeral Consumers Alliance for two years. She and Sandy also participated in a Readers theater group. The family lived in Silver City, NM from 2010-2012 and Maxine volunteered at the Gila Medical Center. She and Sandy enjoyed square dancing and attending classes at Western Institution for Lifelong Learning. In 2013, Maxine and Sandy relocated to Delta, CO, where they made many new and wonderful friends. They moved back to New Mexico in 2016 to be near their daughter during Sandy’s failing health. After Sandy’s death, Maxine, April and Paul relocated to Franklin, NC and lived together. On April 8, 2018, Maxine joined the Iotla Baptist Church. She was also a member of the Macon County Senior Center and enjoyed lunches and activities there. In addition, she sang the praises of the Macon County transit system which took her there.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents and one brother, Kenneth Jr. Sandy also preceded her in death on March 15, 2017 in Cliff, NM.
She is survived by all four children and their spouses: April and Paul Wikstrom; Ken and Kelly Turner; John and Theresa Turner; Marsha and Michael Achord. Also surviving a brother and sister in law, Joe and Paula Snoddy of Savannah, GA and their four children and grandchildren. Maxine is also survived by seven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
In accordance with Maxine’s wishes, cremation has taken place and services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donation may be made to IRIS Domestic Violence Center of Baton Rouge, LA, (www.stopdv.org), P.O. Box 52809, Baton Rouge, LA 70892, please include name and address along with the donation.
Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.
She was born on March 7, 1933 to Madgelen and Kenneth Snoddy at their home in Marion, IL. During her school years, they moved to Chicago, IL several times but they always returned to Marion and Maxine graduated from high school there in 1950. She was an Honor Roll student, having excelled in Gregg shorthand and typewriting. She used those skills in all her places of employment over the years. Maxine chose not to go to college but married young and had three children, Marsha Jean, John Charles and Kenneth Eugene Turner. That marriage failed and Maxine was a single parent for two years. In April of 1965, she met Merrill J. “Sandy” Sanderson whose Louisiana employer sent him to Marion temporarily – they married that August and Maxine and her three children moved to Louisiana. In June 1966, their daughter April was born in Monroe, LA. In 1970 the family relocated to Baton Rouge, LA. They lived there for 25 years and during that time both Maxine and Sandy began to do volunteer work. Maxine helped in the Battered Women’s Program and found it very meaningful. In 1995 Sandy retired and they moved to Albuquerque, NM, where April was attending UNM for a degree in occupational therapy. Maxine’s volunteer work in Albuquerque was with United Way, Junior Achievement, The Albuquerque Newcomers Club, and Bear Canyon Senior Center. She served on the National Board for Funeral Consumers Alliance for two years. She and Sandy also participated in a Readers theater group. The family lived in Silver City, NM from 2010-2012 and Maxine volunteered at the Gila Medical Center. She and Sandy enjoyed square dancing and attending classes at Western Institution for Lifelong Learning. In 2013, Maxine and Sandy relocated to Delta, CO, where they made many new and wonderful friends. They moved back to New Mexico in 2016 to be near their daughter during Sandy’s failing health. After Sandy’s death, Maxine, April and Paul relocated to Franklin, NC and lived together. On April 8, 2018, Maxine joined the Iotla Baptist Church. She was also a member of the Macon County Senior Center and enjoyed lunches and activities there. In addition, she sang the praises of the Macon County transit system which took her there.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents and one brother, Kenneth Jr. Sandy also preceded her in death on March 15, 2017 in Cliff, NM.
She is survived by all four children and their spouses: April and Paul Wikstrom; Ken and Kelly Turner; John and Theresa Turner; Marsha and Michael Achord. Also surviving a brother and sister in law, Joe and Paula Snoddy of Savannah, GA and their four children and grandchildren. Maxine is also survived by seven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
In accordance with Maxine’s wishes, cremation has taken place and services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donation may be made to IRIS Domestic Violence Center of Baton Rouge, LA, (www.stopdv.org), P.O. Box 52809, Baton Rouge, LA 70892, please include name and address along with the donation.
Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com.