Willis Sanders

On June 23rd, 2023, Willis Calvin Sanders, 87, of Machesney Park, Illinois, transitioned from his body, surrounded by his family and a great cloud of witnesses. Depending on where you knew him from, you may have known him as Brother Sanders, Willis, Calvin, Willie, Buddy, Dusty, Grandpa Calvin, or his most beloved name of all, Boompa. Willis was born on April 25th, 1936, in Kennett, Missouri, and was married to Betty Jane (Adams) Sanders on April 2nd, 1961. (That’s 62 years. Or 22,727 days, not many of which went by without him cracking some kind of dad joke to make Betty roll her eyes or shake her head. The family assumes he has no intention of stopping now.) Willis was predeceased by his parents, Obal and Nora; his baby sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Ken: his beloved son and daughter-in-law, Jeffrey and Valerie; and two great-grandsons, Max and Teddy. This one-of-a-kind man is survived by his wife, Betty; daughters, Cyndi (Mike) Weaver; Misha Sanders; seven grandchildren, Jonathan, Andrew, Tara, Eric, Marissa, Michael, and Kyle; nineteen great-grandchildren; sister Shirley (Joe) Steed; and a host of other chosen family too numerous to name. Brother Sanders was a faithful child of God and a decades-long pillar of Silver Hill Pentecostal Church. He considered long-time pastor and emeritus, Bishop Robert Bailey, among his dearest friends. Calvin was an avid fisherman, a lover of birds, a connoisseur of southern gospel music, a roller coaster enthusiast, and the creator of the best chili in the world. During his years of military service in France, Dusty played stand-up bass in an army rock-and-roll band called the Alley Kats. After he got saved, Brother Sanders played the drums in the church band for decades. Buddy played second base for a season in a minor league farm team for the St. Louis Cardinals. He could have stayed on for a second season and possibly made it to the majors, had he not enlisted to serve. Up until work injuries slowed him down a bit in his late 50s, he could still wipe the diamond with the young whippersnappers in Friday night pick-up games with the church guys. The light of Boompa's life was his grandchildren. He is the beloved Boompa to several generations of extended family, church kids, neighborhood kids, after-school care kids at a local school, and really any kid he met while working at various retail establishments across the city. His signature song to sing in worship services includes these lyrics: "Well, I don't have long to stay here, and I don't have far to go. For the trumpet of the Lord, soon ol' Gabriel's gonna blow. I may die before it sounds, but ain’t no grave gonna hold me down! From that chilly grave I'll rise and come up shouting!" Until that day, Boompa, your legacy of love will carry the innumerable people who you loved, who loved you back, and who will love forever forward in your memory. A Homegoing Celebration will be held at 7 PM, Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at Silver Hill Pentecostal Church, 4401 20 th St., Rockford, IL 61109. The family welcomes guests for a visitation from 5 to 7 PM in the sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation in his name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital would be a fitting and loving tribute.
www.stjude.org/donate .
Stateline Cremations is assisting the family, 6204 Forest Hills Rd., Loves Park, IL. www.statelinecremations.com