Bessie L Sanders

LORMAN, MS : Funeral services for Bessie L. Sanders, 85,   who died Thursday, December 22, in Vicksburg, MS,  will be held at 12:00p.m., Saturday , December 31,  at China Grove M.B. Church  with Rev. Frank Curtis officiating.  Burial will be in McCay Cemetery with Thompson Funeral Home, Inc. of Port Gibson, in charge of the arrangements.  Visitation will be held on Friday, from 1:00p.m. until 5:00p.m. at the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel and Saturday, from 11a.m. until service time at the Church. Due to recent events affecting the nations, we ask that you take precautions; mask must be worn and will not be provided.   

Bessie was born on April 4, 1937 as the 4th child and only daughter of of Mary Sutton and James Tolliver.  She was a welcomed addition to three older brothers David Tolliver, James Tolliver and Alonzo Tolliver who all proceeded her in death.  Her mother (Mary) later married Elijah Herrington and together the two created a supportive and loving family with his son Elijah Herrington. Jr. in the heart of Russum MS. 

As a child, Bessie joined China Grove M.B Church where she served faithfully as choir member, Sunday school teacher, deaconess and so much more over the course of her 80+ years of committed service.  She attended  Claiborne County Training School where she was an honor student and active member of the high school basketball team. 

Bessie lived a wonderful life filled with love and lost. She married Wes Hyder in the 50s and later married Willie Lee Sanders in the 60s. From 1956 to 1983 she brought into this world a rambunctious group of nine children: the late Jonathan Hyder (Mary), Perry (Rhonda) Tolliver Brent (Bridgette)Tolliver, Stanley (Cassandra) Sanders,  Andrea Sanders, Willie Sanders, Demetha Sanders, the late, Ketish Sanders(d), Shelby Sanders and Kent Sanders. Her children provided her with the great honor of becoming a grandmother to 24 and great grandmother to many more. Later in life, Bessie was introduced to her ‘bonus’ siblings Helen Whitney, Gertrude Murphy, Claressa Leary, Lillian Counsel, Estella Coleman, Shirley Brown and Willie Harried.

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