William (Bill) Earl Saunders

William (Bill) Earl Saunders was born in Tampa, Florida on December 27, 1950 to Betty Jane Graf Saunders and Earl Nicolas Saunders the youngest of their four children. The family lived in Lutz, Florida where he attended local public schools including Lutz School and Leto High School where he received specialized training as an electrician.

In 1969, Bill joined the United States Army where he served until 1975 earning a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service in Vietnam. After returning to Florida, he worked for the telephone company as a lineman for two decades in Tampa. On July 12, 1982 he married Judith Boyd Aycock in Lutz, Florida.  Bill continued to work as a telephone lineman until he retired due to a middle ear disability he acquired while in Vietnam and the couple lived alternately in Lutz, Florida and on a farm in Union City, Pennsylvania. In 2019, due to declining health, Bill sold his farm in Pennsylvania resided alternatively in Florida, with help from longtime friends, and in Maryland with his brother James A. Saunders and his extended Saunders family.

Bill enjoyed helping others especially building projects using heavy equipment. He took great pride in his technical skills and independent hard work ethic. At one point in his life Bill purchased a 42 ft. sailboat that he was enamored with due to his love of outdoors and the independence it provided.  Bill suffered from many health problems in life but had the perseverance to continue on with whatever monumental task he had set before himself.  His eagerness to help others and his welcoming smile earned him a large number of friends wherever he lived. During his time living in Florida, he was active and served leadership roles in Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lutz, Florida where he was Baptized as an infant.  

Bill is survived by his spouse Judy Saunders and her daughter Karen Aycock, his brothers, David Edward Saunders and his spouse Mary Mildred Saunders, and James Allen Saunders and his spouse June Marie Saunders and his nieces and nephew including Aleen L. Saunders Cunningham, Christopher James Saunders, Willow Brook Saunders and his niece Nicole Gutierrez and her spouse Karla Maria Gutierrez, as well as his cousins Jamie Hecker and her spouse Debra Hirshberg.

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