Dr. Gill O. Sanders, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on Thursday, August 25, 2016 of complications from Alzheimer's disease at age 72.
Gill was born on November 22, 1943 to wonderful parents, Mervyn Sharp Sanders and Cora Maurine Oldroyd in Salt Lake City, Utah and was the third of five children. He attended Roosevelt Junior High, East High School, and the University of Utah, graduating with honors in Zoology. Gill attended medical school at the University of Utah and extended his education with a residency and fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.
Gill lived a life of great passions: fishing, singing, art, medicine, his family, the Utes, the Gospel and Virginia. He approached each with joyful enthusiasm.
Gill spent the summers of his youth as a fishing guide on the Teton River in Driggs, Idaho. Gill could drop a fly without leaving a ripple. Laughter and fun were always close at hand when Gill and his dear friends were near. From 1963 to 1965 Gill embarked on a new adventure when he accepted a call to serve an LDS mission to Vienna, Austria. In 1966, Gill married his high school sweetheart and eternal companion, vivacious Virginia Cook. They had six children and enjoyed spending time as a family at their cabin on the Teton River.
Gill loved being a pediatrician. He cared for thousands of children with good humor and a winning bedside manner that would put any sick child and worried parent at ease. Gill often made house calls and "in-house calls," seeing patients in his own home and stitching them up on his kitchen counter. In addition to being an esteemed physician, Gill was an artist, becoming an accomplished wood carver. Carving trout from aspen logs was a way to combine his love of fly-fishing with his need to create, especially in the winter when the trout weren't biting. His carved trout business, "Gill's," began as a recreational activity and soon blossomed into a thriving family enterprise.
Gill was a proud Ute Fan, attending every University of Utah football and basketball game. Coming early he always stayed until the very end. Gill was a gifted vocalist. From an early age Gill performed beautiful duets with his adored sisters, Lynne and Camille. As he matured, Gill generously sang on request at many church and family functions, performing gorgeous solos with his beautiful tenor voice. Gill was a loyal friend, a loving father and grandfather. "Grandpa Gilly" loved to tell stories, sing, drive the boat, and fly-fish with his children and grandchildren. He always nurtured a pristine garden, and taught his grandchildren to respect nature and revere Heavenly Father's creations.
Gill cherished his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he gave a lifetime of service in various capacities, including Bishop of the Garden Park Ward. Late in life Gill served a mission with Virginia in Boston, Massachusetts. Gill has a strong testimony in the divinity of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Gill is survived by his wife Virginia, their six children, KeriLynne Sanders, LisaAnne Rose (Dade), Matthew Sharp Sanders, MeriKaye Moore (Brian), Geneva Ivory Soulier (Matthew), Kimberly Maurine Ujifusa (JR), sibling Dr. Marc Neil Sanders, and twenty grandchildren. His parents and siblings, Dr. John Mervyn Sanders, Lynne Sanders Nelson, and Camille Sanders Cook, have passed before him. He anticipates a sweet reunion with them.
Funeral services will be held in the Princeton Ward, 1005 S. 2000 E., at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. There will be a viewing on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary (2350 East 1300 South), and another at the Princeton Ward from 10:30 to 11:45 am on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 prior to the services. Interment will be at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery. We gratefully acknowledge the caring staff at the Wentworth at Willowcreek Memory Care Facility as well as the Brighton Home Health and Hospice.
