- Date Of Death: July 11, 2019
- State: New Mexico
William (Bill) Sidney Sanders, 84, of Albuquerque, NM, passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 11, 2019. Bill was born October 11, 1934 in the farm community of Noble, Georgia, the only child of Oliver and Dorothy Sanders.
At 17, he left high school to join the US Air Force, where he served in the 59th Medical Group, Burtonwood AFB, United Kingdom, as medical instructor for the Air Depot Wing. While there, he formed a competitive drill team, which won multiple United Kingdom championships. He also participated in “Operation Teapot,” the last major above ground atomic test while based out of Nellis AFB.
After leaving the Air Force, Bill entered the radio industry as a part-time deejay. This experience launched his 50-year career in virtually every phase of broadcasting. He directed the startup of dozens of businesses, all serving the industry. Bill was a two-time recipient of broadcasting’s prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Journalism Society award, an honor he was very proud of. Bill spent many years as a business consultant, devoting his time to mentoring, teaching and lecturing entrepreneurs and business leaders, at universities across the eastern US and New Zealand, including UNM. His favorite subjects were Marketing, Leadership, Finance, and Management.
Bill had a wandering spirit, and greatly enjoyed traveling internationally, most often creating and directing tours of family members, business associates, and a multitude of friends. Some of his favorite destinations included New Zealand, Mexico, Germany, England, and Ireland. Bill also indulged a lifelong passion for cooking, and enjoying fine food, by investing himself in restaurant ownership and management with his wife Roberta. His spirit leaves an indelible imprint on those who knew and loved him.
Bill is survived by his loving wife Roberta Finley and their combined families: Michele Sanders (Wendy); Michael Sanders (Tessa), Mark Sanders (deceased), Richard Gonzales (Arian), Roy Metzgar, Iris Vallejos (Rick), Brian Metzgar (deceased), 11 grandchildren , and 3 great-grandchildren.
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