January 22, 1941 – April 16, 2018
Jesuit Brother James Robert Sanders, S.J. died on April 16, at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos. He was 77 years old, a Jesuit for 26 years, and had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Jim was born in St. Louis, Missouri, January 22, 1941, the eldest child of Robert Sanders and Phyllis Code Sanders. Jim grew up in a variety of places as his family moved to Pittsburgh, PA, Los Angeles, and Fresno. He attended local high schools and Fresno State University before entering the business world. Later, as a Jesuit, he earned a degree in organization behavior from the University of San Francisco and studied theology at Loyola Marymount University.
Before entering the Jesuits at the age of 51 in 1992, Jim ran his own businesses in a wide range of areas, including residential care, yacht maintenance, and retail jewelry. His assignments as a Jesuit included teaching theology and assisting in campus ministry at Jesuit High School, Carmichael (1996-2000), parish administrator at Most Holy Trinity Church, San Jose (2002-2004) and minister of the Jesuit community there (2005-2015). Health issues brought him to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, where he engaged in a ministry of prayer.
Wherever Brother Jim’s Jesuit ministry took him, he was much loved and respected by faculty, staff, students, and parishioners. He was never too busy to lend a helping hand.
Brother Jim is survived by his son, Tino Acevedo (Alison) of Auburn, WA, his brothers Mike Sanders (Miki) of San Miguel, CA, Rob Sanders (Joy) of Issaquah, WA, Bill Sanders (Marilyn) of Fresno, CA, Richard Sanders (Dennis) of Ventura, CA, his sister Jeanne Sanders Kokes of Houston, TX and by many step siblings, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.