Katherine Blythe Sanders, 97, of Cherokee, NC, Jesup, Ga. and Shellman Bluff, Ga. died Thursday, April 30, 2015 after a brief illness.
The Cherokee, NC native was a member of Cherokee Baptist Church and also attended the Cherokee Methodist Church. She was a revered native educator with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools for many years and was recently awarded the prestigious Frell Owle Education Award for her many years of distinguished service to Cherokee children and families. She was a founder of the Native American Indian Women Association (NAIWA) EBCI Chapter and enjoyed beading, working crossword puzzles and was fondly remembered by her students as “The Meanest Teacher” they ever had. She was predeceased by her husband of sixty-two years, Soldier E. Sanders, of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.
Survivors are two daughters, Karen “Wren” and M.A. “Skip” Peterson of Augusta, Ga., Faren and Dennis Crews of Shellman Bluff, Ga.; sons, James E. “Butch” and Janet Sanders of Cherokee, William “Bill” and Eileen Sanders of LeMoore, Calif.; grandchildren, Pete Peterson, Lori Sanders, Dr. Blythe Sanders Winchester, and James Sanders II; five great-grandchildren; and loving nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 5-7pm on Friday, May 1 at Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home, 860 Hwy. 301 South, Jesup, Ga. 31546.
A visitation in her home town will be held from 3-5pm on Sunday, May 3 at Long House Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 2pm on Monday, May 4 at the Wolfetown Community Center located on Long Branch Rd. with visitation from 12-pm prior to services. Burial will follow at the Soldier Sanders Cemetery in Cherokee.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Tsali Manor, Rt. 1, Box B-5, Cherokee, NC 28719 or Cherokee Baptist Church, P O Box 395, Cherokee, NC 28719.