Helen Christine Sanders

Helen Christine Sanders, age 91, of Cleveland, MS passed away Thursday, January 12, 2023, at Walter B. Crook Nursing Home in Ruleville, MS.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM Monday, January 16, 2023, at Cleveland Funeral Home. The Celebration of Life Funeral Service will follow at 2:00 PM in the Cleveland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the New Cleveland Cemetery. Bro. Bob Hill will officiate the services.

Christine was born on May 2, 1931, to Thomas Jefferson Franks and Jessie Goodman Franks in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. The family moved to Mississippi when she was very young. She married Frank Sanders at an early age.  Christine drove a school bus for a number of years before going to work with Baxter Laboratories, She retired in 1994. Christine loved to garden and grow flowers, she also enjoyed cooking, helping people, sitting with the elderly, and taking care of her grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Frank Sanders, sisters, Agnes Clark, and Imogene Doss, son-in-law Carl Ray and great-grandson Brandon Jones.

Christine is survived by her children, Sue S. Ray of Cleveland, MS, Linda Barefoot (George) of Cleveland, MS, Frank Sanders Jr. (Ramona) of Merigold, MS, and Jeannie McCreary (Jeff) of Cleveland, MS, brother Donnie Franks (Sue) of Mobile, AL, 8 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 18 great-great-grandchildren.

 Pallbearers are Tommy Ray, Jeffery McCreary, Blake McCreary, Knottie Jones, David Butler, Dudley Tribble, and Glenn Hill. Honorary pallbearers are David Williams and Charles Weeks.

Cleveland Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. The online guest register may be signed at www.clevelandfuneralhome.net.