Funeral services for David C. Sanders, 85, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Thurs., Sept. 16, 2021 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Steve Friskup officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Frank Ferguson, Rod Savage, Alan Zachry, Paul Grider, Donny Massey and Manuel Jasso serving as pallbearers.  Charles Chambers, Storm Gerhart, Jack Merrick, Clovis Gray, Kendall Buzzard, Randy Lieb, James Robbins, Danny Tivis, Jimmie Duncan, and Cecile Archibeque will serve as honorary pallbearers.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to either the New Mexico Christian Children’s Home, 1356 NM 236, Portales, NM 88130 or to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 629, Portales, NM 88130.

David Charles Sanders was born Jan. 30, 1936, in Clovis, NM to the home of Frances (Payne) and L. J. “Pete” Sanders and died on the evening of Sept. 13, 2021 in Portales, NM.  The family moved to Baileyboro, TX when David was a very small child.  He was a 1954 graduate of Muleshoe High School.  The following year his family moved to the Bethel community.  David attended Eastern New Mexico University for a time before marrying Donna McLaughlin on Feb. 8, 1958.  They made their home in the Arch community where he farmed and ranched for the rest of his life.  Donna preceded him in death in June of 1968, and on June 20,1969 in the Arch Baptist Church, he was married to Carolyn Scott.

David served as a County Commissioner for 18 years, and on the Roosevelt County Rural Telephone Board for 28 years.  In addition he had served terms on the FSA Board and the Roosevelt County Fair Board.  He was also a member of the New Mexico Peanut Growers Association and served a term as State President.  David was a devoted Christian, and was deeply involved in the Walk to Emmaus, sponsoring numerous individuals to attend, and helping to organize countless “walks.”  In addition to raising cattle with his father, David became a premier sheep breeder in this area, and had won both the Reserve Grand Champion and the Grand Champion ribbons in previous years at the State Fair in Albuquerque.

He is survived by Carolyn, his wife of more than 52 years of their home; three sons and daughters-in-law, Dave and Liz Sanders of Portales, Mike and Donna McGuire of Temple, TX and Don and Gina Sanders of Portales; a daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Kirk Bryant of Portales; eight grandchildren, Dru Sanders and fiancé, Megan Patzkie, Raeona Sanders and fiancé, Kory Jennings, Jeremy (Melissa) Mulsow, Rickey (Jordon) Tull, Cayli (Rick) Bergman, Ty Sanders, Landon (Kaylynn) Bryant and Tessa (Chuck) Graves; nine great-grandchildren, Barrett, Coy, Nolan, Miles, Levi, Boyd, Colter, Brock and Logan; a sister, Margaret Bryant of Lubbock, TX; a brother-in-law, Philip Smith of Floyd, NM and a sister-in-law, Virginia Sanders of Plains, TX.  In addition to his first wife, Donna, he was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, L. J. Sanders, a sister, Mary Liz Smith and a brother-in-law, R. E. Bryant.