Barbara Ann Sanders, 75, of Franklin, TN passed away Tuesday, November 10th at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at TriStar Centennial in Nashville.
Barbara was born on April 23rd, 1945 in Wichita, KS to Murray and Neva Raney, and was married to Samuel Sanders on April 9th, 1966.
After growing up in Mountain Grove, MO and attending the University of Missouri together, Sam and Barbara began their married life in Ft. Worth, TX where Sam attended the Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. Their two children, Michael and Julie, were born during this time in Ft. Worth.
Sam’s career as a music minister led them to the Los Angeles area in 1970. They would stay in California for the next 7 years. Barbara began her work teaching children’s music, as well as teaching others how to teach it. She and Sam began going to and teaching at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center in New Mexico, and would continue this wonderful tradition, bringing their kids, for many years. It is here where her passion for teaching music to children in the church began to flourish.
When the family moved to Broken Arrow, OK in 1977, Barbara began teaching piano lessons and had many students in her studio. She also was very involved in the leadership of the children’s music program at First Baptist Church in Broken Arrow. She taught children’s choir, organized a handbell choir, and put on a number of musicals.
Barbara continued to teach piano lessons and lead children’s music in her church when the family moved back to California in 1980, but also began teaching music in several elementary schools. She became a sought after expert in children’s music education, often traveling to teach seminars and workshops across the country.
Moving once again, this time to Nashville in 1988, Barbara continued developing her career and passion for teaching music to children. She taught in several schools, and was the Children’s Choir Coordinator at First Baptist in Nashville for many years.
In 1992, she joined the wonderful community of Oak Hill School, where she would go on to teach music for 26 years. During this time, she would take on several additional “hats”, including teaching band, leading all the performances for parents and families, directing the annual Broadway musical, and even sewing many intricate and elaborate costumes for the musicals.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Sam of Franklin, TN; son Michael of Fresno, CA; daughter Julie (Michael) Comstock of Brentwood, TN; brother Gary Raney (Sherry) of Springfield, MO; brother Steve Raney (Verna) of Mountain Grove, MO; and four grandchildren: Krystle Sanders, Brett Sanders, Emily Comstock and Caroline Comstock.
Services will be held at Nashville First Baptist Church at 10am on Saturday, November 14th, with visitation from 9-9:45am. There will be a private graveside service on Saturday afternoon at Williamson Memorial Gardens in Franklin, TN.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Barbara’s memory to the Williamson Medical Center Foundation at https://williamsonmedicalcenter.org/support-wmc/give-now/ The nurses and staff on the Oncology floor of this hospital were incredibly kind and caring to Barbara over the last year, and the family extends our heartfelt gratitude.
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