Bishop Martha Jane Sanders

Obituary For Bishop Martha Jane Sanders

Bishop Martha Jane Sanders was born in Farrell, PA, on April 17, 1933, to James R. and Ethel V. (Ruffner) Wiley, one of eighteen children. She graduated from Farrell High School in 1951 and later attended Penn State University, campuses of the Shenango Valley in Sharon & Behrend Campus, Erie and Gannon University of Erie.

Bishop Sanders was a beacon of light in the Shenango Valley community. Her compassionate spirit and unwavering belief in the power of faith gathered her congregation not only to worship but to uplift and support one another in times of joy and sorrow. The essence of Prelate Bishop Sanders’ life creed is reflected in the sentiment shared by the late Mother Theresa, “Unless life is lived for others it is not worthwhile.”

As a community servant, Bishop Sanders began her career as a volunteer for the American Red Cross and later worked as a Federal Census Taker. She was a nursing assistant within the Emergency Room of the Shenango Valley Osteopathic Hospital, Farrell, which had recently opened. She was a member of the Farrell/Wheatland Veterans Memorial Committee; the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service Board; and a member of the Coalition to Save Our City, Farrell. Among her other activities, she was a member of the Pennsylvania Equal Rights Council; a charter member of the Shenango Valley Initiative; and board member of the Mercer County Association for the Retarded. She was a member of the International Association of Human Rights Advocates and recipient of numerous honors and awards.

Bishop Sanders dared to be different in 1976 and co-founded the Hour of Power Full Gospel Tabernacle, Inc., in Farrell with Bishop Sallie M. Saunders and three other women. She served full time as the pastor until her retirement in 2016 yet continued to serve as a spiritual mother offering wisdom and guidance to leadership until her passing.

Bishop Sanders was consecrated by the ACTS Association to the office of Bishop in 1984. She was a member of the Shenango Valley Ministerial Association, member of Mercer County Branch of the N.A.A.C.P.; the Coalition of African American Women; a charter member of the Youngstown Interdenominational Clergywomen’s Alliance which was founded by the late Bishop Lillie B. North; and the founding president of the Shenango Valley Interdenominational Clergywomen’s Alliance, Inc., now in its seventeenth year.

As an advocate for social justice, equality, and fairness, she was the founding Executive Director of the Farrell Human Relations Commission and later served as Executive Director of the Erie Human Relations Commission. She drafted the Farrell Human Relations Commission Ordinance and operated Farrell's Operation J.O.I.N. (Job Opportunities in Neighborhoods) Program, a youth employment agency. She also crafted a student handbook for Erie Public Schools. Sought after for her talents for critical thinking and social policy development, she crafted Affirmative Action Policies for several Erie industries.

While working as Human Relations' Executive Director in Erie, Bishop Sanders challenged the fact that of Erie's 242 police officers, only two were black, and they were not permitted to carry a firearm or wear a uniform. Speaking truth to power, in this case her employer, she won a lawsuit against the city of Erie, mandating them to hire twelve black police officers with training from the State Police Academy which permitted them to carry firearms.

A media personality, Bishop Sanders was the hostess of a television show “Accent on Black’ which aired on WICU Erie, PA. She was a regular fixture on WFAR Radio, in Farrell as the hostess of the “Gospel Sounds for Young America” a weekly gospel radio show. She was the editor of the Erie Liberator, a bi-weekly community newspaper. Her provocative commentary was heralded in a published manifesto: What It Means to Be Black In White America.

She served twelve years as Democrat Committee Woman in Farrell's 1-1; secretary for eight years and secretary of the Mercer County Democrat Committee for four years. In 1965, she ran for the Farrell Area Board of Education, narrowly loss by 23 votes. Politically astute and savvy, eventually Bishop Sanders was elected and served as Farrell City Councilwoman from 1991-1995. She was the second African American female elected to a city-wide office in the 152-year history of Mercer County at that time.

After serving as Farrell City Councilwoman, Bishop Sanders made unsuccessful bids for the mayoral position and county commissioner. She was elected Vice President of the Pennsylvania League of Cities, Western Region. She was a member of the Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone and the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission and served on the Fireman's Negotiation Committee and Pension Board.

Among her numerous activities are appointments, include as a gubernatorial appointment to Municipal Police Officers Training Commission by former Gov. Milton Shapp; judicial appointment to Court Appointed Special Advocate by Judge John Acker; Mercer County Commission for Women; Juvenile Probation Community Court at Farrell by Judge Francis Fornelli and Chairperson of Mercer County Anti-Discrimination Commission by County Commissioners Stevenson, Brenneman and Lazor.

In 1951, Bishop Martha married Henry K. Sanders Sr., beginning a partnership that would last over three decades. Although their marriage concluded in divorce in 1987, they maintained a deep and amicable friendship until Henry's passing in July 1999. This enduring bond served as a testament to their mutual respect and shared commitment to their family.

Her legacy illuminates through her three children, Rev. Selma D. Sanders-West (Rev. R. Michael West), Phillip E. Sanders, Brian K. Sanders Sr., and Reginald L. Sanders Sr., along with her daughter-in-love Rev. Deborah Lewis Sanders; a granddaughter, who she raised, Rev. Amanda (Elder Airess Hunter) Pearson, thirteen other grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren, seven great-great grandchildren, and a loving cadre of nieces, nephews, cousins, loved ones, and lifelong friends, Co-Pastor Emeritus Bishop Sallie M. Saunders, Mother Johnie M. Bloodsaw, and Mother Almeda James.

At 11:31 AM on July 5, 2025, Prelate Bishop Martha J. Sanders left her earthly home and transitioned to her heavenly reward at Sharon Regional Health System. Now that her faith has become sight, she is released from pain and suffering, and we believe she’s now at peace and rest in paradise.

As Bishop Sanders entered the Church Triumphant, she now basks in the presence of her Savior and enjoys eternity with her biological parents, her foster parents, Alice and John Scott, all 17 of her siblings, her former husband, Henry K. Sanders Sr., three sons, Henry K. Sanders Jr., Private First Class Wendell M. Sanders, and Michael S. Sanders Sr., a daughter-in-law, Judy Reid Sanders, a grandson, Reginald L. Sanders, Jr., and Willia Mae “Mae Mae” Pruitte, a loving mother figure.

Bishop Martha’s legacy of love and faith will resonate through the lives of those she touched. As we gather to honor this remarkable woman, there will be a public visitation on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at the Farrell Area High School, 1700 Roemer Blvd in Farrell where we will reflect on her extraordinary contributions to the well-being of families within our community. At 11:00 am the Right Reverend Stanley K. Smith of Richmond VA will serve as the officiant of the Christian Celebration of Life and the eulogy will be delivered by the Right Reverend Alvin J. McCoy, bishop & overseer of Greater New and Living Way Apostolic Church, Sharon.

At this time of intimate need and personal loss, the family of Bishop Martha Jane Sanders elected to entrust the Ministry of Comfort & Care, along with Transitional After-Care Arrangements to the J. E. Washington Funeral Services, 1059 Hamilton Ave, Farrell, PA 724.983.1523