Patricia Jean (Binnion) Sanders

Patricia Jean (Binnion) Sanders

August 21, 1943-February 16, 2024

Jean Binnion was born in Dunsmuir, California in the shadow of Mt. Shasta to Richard Glenn and Willa Frances Binnion.

They moved to Tucson when she was a little girl because her dad worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad out of Tucson.

The family lived on Mt. Lemmon in a cabin year-round during her teenage years and drove up and down the mountain for school every day. She enjoyed remembering her days of competitive tennis and swimming.

Jean married Daniel Maury Sanders in 1965 in Las Vegas, NV. They had 4 kids: Branden, Danielle, Gina and Beau. Danny was a water well driller with wanderlust and Jean was a fearless adventurer. They were the best of friends and the best example of a Great Love that you can imagine.

They moved a lot! When it was all said and done, they had moved over 40 times, lived in foreign countries and even been missionaries to Haiti, but they always came back to southern Arizona, eventually retiring in Whetstone, AZ after Danny died in 1998.

Jean was incredibly brave. She would do anything for her family. In 1975 she packed up her four little children and traveled alone to meet Danny and live in Mallorca, Spain for a year, spending weeks alone in a foreign country while he worked in Algeria.

She fought fiercely with school boards and politicians for her children’s education and safety in public schools until finally she decided she could do better and pulled all 4 kids out of the school system at the ages of 8, 10, 12 and 14 to homeschool at a time when almost no one was doing it, and some people were being arrested for it. She was a pioneer who believed in freedom and would not let fear stop her from doing what she knew was right.

Above all, even her fierce love of her family, she loved Jesus. She strove to serve Him every day of her life. She was a prayer warrior, holding before Him faithfully her 4 children and their spouses, her 11 grandchildren, her 11 (plus 2 on the way!) great-grandchildren, 2 sisters, her brother, her nieces and nephews and friends, and her country. Her greatest desire was to know that her whole family was secure in their salvation and would pursue a great relationship with Jesus. She really hoped we would all meet Him in the air at the same time, but we can’t help but be excited for her having a joyous reunion with her Lifetime Love, Danny, her son Beau, her parents, and getting to sit at the feet of her Lord. 

Survived by:

Her son Branden Sanders and his wife Michelle with their children: daughter Dana (Thomas) Sandford and their son Mason, daughter Briana (Austin) Mickelson, and daughter Stormy.

Her daughter Danielle McNeil and her husband Glen, with their children:  daughter Trina (Michael) Quarto and their children Hailey, Luke, Evan, Quinn and Annalise, son Matthew (Tabitha) McNeil and their son Malachi, and son Logan McNeil.

Her daughter Gina Reece and her husband Corbet, with their children: son Wheeler Reece, daughter Aisa (Jeremiah) White and their children Gradie, Micah, Gideon and Clark, and daughter Audrey Reece

Her daughter-in-law Vy Sanders and her son Dylan

Her grandson Benjamin Sanders

Her sisters Francie Barcus and Gail Lyons and brother Thomas Binnion

A host of nephews and nieces

Preceded in death by her husband Daniel Maury Sanders, her son Beau Derek Sanders, and her parents Richard Glenn Binnion and Willa Frances (Phebus) Binnion.

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