Joel C. Sanderson of Raton, NM passed away March 28, 2017.
He was born in Port Matilda, PA on February 13, 1932 to Lois L. (Crain) Sanderson and Waldo M. Sanderson.
His family moved to Lea County, NM in 1936 and Joel graduated from Hobbs High School in 1951. He continued to graduate from NMSU in 1957 with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering. He served two years in the National Guard and two years in ROTC at the university. While in college he met and married Glada Morgan. After graduation, they moved to Raton where Joel went to work for ARF Products. They left Raton and moved to Denver, CO for a year while he worked for Martin Marietta in instrumentation on the Titan Missile project. In 1960 he returned to Raton to work for ARF products until he purchased Plaza Super Market in 1973 and pursued a career in the grocery business until he retired in 1996.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, his parents and two brothers Waldo Palmar and John (Mickey).
He is survived by children Marcia Cunico and husband Steve of Raton, NM and Phoenix, AZ, Sandra S. Sanderson of the home, Joel C. Sanderson Jr. and wife Catherine of Raton, NM, Steve S. and wife Frances of Los Alamosa, NM, 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.
Joel was a lifelong member of the BPOE Elks Lodge #865, the Masonic Order Gate City Lodge #11. AF & AM, Member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Santa Fe, NM. The Ballut Abyad Shrine Club in Albuquerque, NM, Bab-L- Shrine Club, Raton, NM and life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He served on the Raton Country Club board and was a member of Raton Airport Board for 20 years. Joel loved hunting, fishing and golf. His most enjoyed accomplishment was getting his pilot’s license. His flying was what he most missed in his later years.
Funeral Service for Joel C. Sanderson will be on Monday, April 3rd, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Alderette-Pomeroy Funeral Home. With Connie Shields officiating. Interment will follow at the Masonic Cemetery in Trinidad, CO.
Flowers are appreciated but in lieu of flowers please make donations to the Arthur Johnson Memorial Library. The family can be reached at 203 Hill Drive, Raton, NM.
Arrangements for Joel C. Sanderson are under the direction of the Alderette-Pomeroy Funeral Home.
Crews and Pat Bell