Regina Sanders

Regina Sanders, née Garrett, was born on February 14, 1956 in Fairfield, Alabama. She was raised in Birmingham by her parents Carrie Jo Baker Garrett and Charlie Garrett Sr. 

Regina was the baby of the family for nine years until her brother Charlie was born, which meant that for a large part of her childhood she got first privileges on duties like fetching the paper in the morning, or getting to stomp out her father’s cigarettes. 

Regina was a “brilliant student” who “learned effortlessly” and was “sharp as a tack,” according to her siblings. She sang a mean alto and was known to beat a loud and energetic church tambourine. She began playing the piano at a young age, taking lessons from a neighbor down the street.

By age 16, Regina got saved and gave her life to the Lord at a Pentecostal revival. She sold Krispy Kreme donuts door-to-door to pay for travel to church conventions, and even skipped her high school graduation to sing at a church concert out of state.

Regina graduated from Ensley High School in Birmingham, Alabama in 1974 and then moved to Texas to further her education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1977 from Texas Lutheran University. She earned a Master’s degree in education from Texas State University in 1982 and a Master’s degree in mortuary science from the Commonwealth College of Funeral Service in 1990.

Regina fell madly in love with Ruben Alfred Sanders Sr. while working as a teacher in Seguin, Texas public schools. They were married on December 18, 1982. Their sons Ruben and Sam were born in 1983 and 1984, respectively. 

Regina taught in public schools in South Texas, primarily in the Judson School District. She would go on to lead Woodlake Hills Middle School as its principal for several years. With her husband, she ran and managed both Little House of Learning Childcare Center and Sanders Funeral Home. She remained a devoted church organist through much of her adult life.

Regina was a force of nature. Her smile could light up an entire room. Her laughter could break any tension. She was generous with her jokes, her snark, and all of her gifts. There wasn’t a piano or organ she wouldn’t play, a song she wouldn’t join you in singing, or a punchline she wouldn’t help you land. She was always willing to go out of her way to help a neighbor, friend or colleague, usually quietly, with no need for praise. Her hair was always laid, her car was always clean, her heels were always high, and she never shied away from a brightly colored dress suit. Simply put: there was nobody like Regina Sanders. 

Regina was a proud and faithful member of First Apostolic Church in Lockhart, Texas for more than two decades, under the leadership of Minister Dora V. Jones, Minister Lanier Byrd, Ph.D., and current Pastor Deborah Byrd, Ph.D. She also attended and was a proud member of Refuge Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Bethel Pentecostal Church, both in Seguin, Texas. 

Regina suffered a massive stroke that paralyzed her in 2002, but that did not dim her light. She continued attending church and ministering to friends and loved ones, and remained a loving mother, grandmother and friend. In her final years, she enjoyed watching her beloved westerns, reading her many Bibles, and hanging out with her youngest grandson, Alexander Raymond, who would often watch those westerns with her. 

Regina Sanders leaves behind two sons, Ruben Alfred Sanders, Jr. and Samuel Houston Sanders III, and stepsons Reggie Sanders and Fred Sanders. She is survived by her siblings Charlie Garrett, Donna Garrett, Betty Jo Garrett, and Micah White and was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Paulette Garrett and Alta Garrett, her husband Ruben Alfred Sanders, Sr., and her stepson Ray Sanders. Her legacy lives on through her grandchildren: Ruben Alfred Sanders III, Zavian Razquan Sanders, Nehemiah Dion Sanders, Alexander Raymond Sanders, Janine M. Thomas (Sanders) and Reginald B. Sanders II. She counted as family many members of First Apostolic Church, her final church home.

She will forever be remembered as a bright and shining light to all who knew her. May her memory be a continued blessing