✦ ✦ ✦
Sallie “Irene” Burr Sanders, age 87 of Monticello, went to be with the Lord on November 18, 2025, at St. Johns Place in Fordyce, AR. She was born December 19, 1937, in Lincoln County, AR to the late Thomas and Lizzy Mae Hamilton Burr.
Irene was a member of East Side Missionary Baptist Church of Monticello. She taught at Enon School from 1971-1978, and then at Drew Central School from 1979-1996, when she retired. She loved teaching all the students who walked through her door and made it her personal goal to make each one know their worth. She also enjoyed traveling, painting, cooking, and spending time with her family. Irene was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 54 years, Willie John Sanders; a daughter, Becky Marie Sanders Knight; two brothers, John Lane and Wilbert Burr; and three sisters, Lorene Burr, Nancy Burr, and Becky Nora Jean Houser.
She is survived by her son, William Sanders and his wife Theresa; four grandchildren, Angela Sanders Rhodes and her husband John, Tina Sanders Goodwin and her husband Jason, Michael Knight and Megan, and Julie Knight Gardner and her husband Bubba; and seven great-grandchildren, Anna Goodwin Summerhill and her husband Nick, Emmett Goodwin, William Gardner, Brayson Knight, Eythan Knight, Hadleigh Knight, and Delilah Knight.
Funeral services will be 3:00 p.m. Friday, November 21, 2025, at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel with Rev. Matt Terry officiating. There will be a visitation from 2:00-3:00 p.m. preceding the funeral service. Burial will be in Mountain Home Cemetery in Lincoln County, AR. Serving as pallbearers are Jason Goodwin, Emmett Goodwin, Nick Summerhill, Fred Cooper, Jason Cooper, Jeff Sanders, Byron Pharr and Matt Terry. You can sign Mrs. Sanders’ guestbook registry here on her page.
Irene was a member of East Side Missionary Baptist Church of Monticello. She taught at Enon School from 1971-1978, and then at Drew Central School from 1979-1996, when she retired. She loved teaching all the students who walked through her door and made it her personal goal to make each one know their worth. She also enjoyed traveling, painting, cooking, and spending time with her family. Irene was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 54 years, Willie John Sanders; a daughter, Becky Marie Sanders Knight; two brothers, John Lane and Wilbert Burr; and three sisters, Lorene Burr, Nancy Burr, and Becky Nora Jean Houser.
She is survived by her son, William Sanders and his wife Theresa; four grandchildren, Angela Sanders Rhodes and her husband John, Tina Sanders Goodwin and her husband Jason, Michael Knight and Megan, and Julie Knight Gardner and her husband Bubba; and seven great-grandchildren, Anna Goodwin Summerhill and her husband Nick, Emmett Goodwin, William Gardner, Brayson Knight, Eythan Knight, Hadleigh Knight, and Delilah Knight.
Funeral services will be 3:00 p.m. Friday, November 21, 2025, at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel with Rev. Matt Terry officiating. There will be a visitation from 2:00-3:00 p.m. preceding the funeral service. Burial will be in Mountain Home Cemetery in Lincoln County, AR. Serving as pallbearers are Jason Goodwin, Emmett Goodwin, Nick Summerhill, Fred Cooper, Jason Cooper, Jeff Sanders, Byron Pharr and Matt Terry. You can sign Mrs. Sanders’ guestbook registry here on her page.