Obituary Henry M. Sanders

   

        Henry M. (Hank) Sanders died after a long battle with cancer on August 5, 2008.   Hank passed away at the Hyder Family Hospice House in Dover, N.H. five years after moving to Portsmouth, N.H.  Hank was the oldest son of a Boston hardware merchant and grew up in Newton Center and Wellesley Farms, MA.  He attended Governor Dummer Academy in West Byfield, MA and developed a life-long interest in the outdoors, incluiding camping, skiing and hiking.   While at Dartmouth he majored in sociology and was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.  He was on the ski team and a member of the Dartmouth Outing Club.

        After graduation he studied at Babson before going into the U. S. Air Force for four years, seeing service as a 1st lieutenant in Korea. After leaving the service, Hank went to work for International Paper where he spent his entire professional career until retirement in 1991.  In 1959 he married Shirley Reece and they moved to Darien CT. where he quickly became immersed in civic and communal activities.  He was a staunch Republican, helping to found the Republican Club of Darien.  He became a town selectman and eventually the town's first selectman (equivalent to mayor) which position he held from 1991 to 1997.  Hank loved politics and Dartmouth, involving himself in alumni and class activities. After serving as head class agent for the Alumni Fund and many years on the Class Executive Committee, he chaired our 50th reunion and was recognized by the Class with the Spirit of '51 Award in 1992.  Hank was a devoted patriot in the finest sense of the word, supporting our Armed Forces and veterans to the fullest extent.  He loved public service and could always be counted on when needed.

        He and Shirley had two children, Sherry Sanders of Great Barrington, MA and Russell Sanders, who lives with his wife Teresa in Corning, NY. They in turn have three children--Henry III, Sabra and Evelyn.  Hank is also survived by two brothers and a sister.