Boyd E. Sanders, 96, of Parsons died at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, at Elmhaven East nursing home, where he had resided since March 14, 2012.

He was born on May 21, 1916, in rural Oswego to Charles Edward and Rhoda Della (Stice) Sanders. As a young boy, he grew up in the rural Oswego area, where he attended elementary country schools and was a graduate of Oswego High School.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army as a medic. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Parsons, where he farmed and worked in the tire department at Montgomery Ward. He and Jim Bracken later formed a partnership and hauled freight for the M-K-T Railroad. He then worked 25 years as a machine operator for Kansas Gas Service, retiring in 1978. Following retirement, he thoroughly enjoyed helping Dr. Bud Hulsman with his horses and Dr. Bill Shields in his veterinary business with animals.

He was a member of Parsons Nazarene Church. The Great Southern Bank, formerly TeamBank, in Parsons, recognized Boyd as being one of the oldest and longtime depositors with their firm. In younger years, he was fiddler in a band with his brothers and had won many competitions as a fiddler. He especially enjoyed gardening and spending time with his dear family and friends.

He married Mable “Iown” Blackburn on Aug. 16, 1943, in Joplin. She preceded him in death on Nov. 17, 2007.

Survivors include his nephew, Norman Sanders of Spokane, Wash.; a niece, Jean Lacy and her husband, Budd, of Thompson Falls, Mont.; a sister-in-law, Nona Sanders of Erie; and longtime dear friends, Bill and Madolyn Shields and family of Parsons.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Ray Edward “Buddy” Sanders; and three brothers, Blaine, Burl and Maurice “Sig” Sanders.

The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Parsons. Friends may call from 12:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas and may be left at or mailed to funeral home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.