Frances Ramsey "Susy" Sanders, 80, died April 29, 2023, in McComb.

She was born Sept. 1, 1942, in Jackson, Tenn., to the late Anthony Orlando Ramsey and Sara Frances Wade Ramsey.

Raised in Trenton, Tenn., with her aunt and uncle, Marion Earnest Wade and Jocleta Pierce Wade, Susy attended Peabody High School, where she ranked fourth in her class and served as homecoming queen.

After high school, Susy attended Memphis State University, where she was a proud member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, before continuing her studies at the Memphis Academy of Art.

Susy began her career as an art teacher at Snowden Junior High School in Memphis, then became an advertising and display manager for the Shop of John Simmons in Memphis, where she received the prestigious Mid-South Advertising Award for most creative artwork for catalog shopping.

Shortly thereafter, Susy met McComb native, the late Dr. Henry J. Sanders, and it was love at first sight. They began their adventures in Las Vegas, Nev., where he served in the U.S. Air Force. The pair then moved to McComb, where Susy established an art program at Summit Elementary School.

Susy's artistic touch and vigor for life has been shared throughout the city of McComb for years. From serving as cultural art chairwoman at schools to painting murals in town or in classrooms; to volunteering her time as set designers for performing arts classes, she always provided beauty and happiness for all to experience.

She also served on boards or clubs, including the Southwest Mississippi Region Medical Center Foundation Board, First Federal Advisory Board, Pike County Medical Auxiliary, Wednesday Club and Fernwood Country Club. Susy was a charge member of the Pike County Arts Council, having served as vice president, chairwoman of the Patrons Committee, chairwoman of the Folk and Graphic Arts Committee and chairwoman of Arts in the Park. She reigned as the Junior Auxiliary Azalea Queen in 2005.

While she found great joy in travel, food and engaging conversation, Susy's keenest passion was always for art. She was a member and served on the board of the Mississippi Art Colony and in 1994, she opened the Burke Street Gallery, which featured local and regional paintings, pottery and fine crafts, and focused on promoted up-and-coming artists.

After 10 years in operation, she closed the gallery to devote time to her own paintings, which have received awards at Lafont Workshop and in the Mississippi Watercolor Society's membership show. She worked in a variety of media and was constantly experimenting with new techniques. While she painted everything from portraits to landscapes and abstracts, her favorite subjects were almost always flowers. She worked constantly to improve at her craft, claiming that "you have to paint hundreds of bad paintings before you paint a great one."

More than all her many accomplishments, Susy will be best remembered for her joyful spirit and generous heart. She was a friend to all, whether she had known them for decades or minutes. Her adventurous, open mind led her to make and maintain active friendships with people around the country and the world, while her thoughtful spirituality inspired her active membership in the Episcopal Church of the Mediator/Redeemer.

As anyone who knew her well knows, she was kind—in a deep, unremitting way that few could ever match. In life, she wished to be remembered as the color yellow, which to her symbolized the effervescent joy with which she approached every aspect of life.

Susy was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Sara Ramsey; and husband, Dr. Henry J. Sanders.

She is survived by her sons, Jay and his wife Andrea and Sam and his wife Catherine; and her four grandchildren, Collins, Henry, Ramsey and Charles, all of whom she loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Episcopal Parish of the Mediator/Redeemer at 215 N. Broadway, McComb.