(As I prepared this eulogy, as I edited, and re-edited it many times, I wept openly, I sobbed, sometimes uncontrollably; tears running like rivers down my face, blurring my vision; alone in my apartment, praying for God to direct my path, as I tried to put some of my thoughts - yes, some of my deepest feelings - into words for this memorable occasion. When I take my seat in a few minutes - some of you may understand why I wept. Some may not. That is okay.)

We are here today to honor the life of a friend, a godly man, Wilfred Sanders.

To some of us - he was our father, or grandfather, or other relative. To others - a long-time friend or maybe an acquaintance. But to all, a trusted friend.

To those of us who love Jesus, my Dad is also our Brother. He is our brother in Christ. He was, as most of us are here, a part of the family of God. We shall see him again one day, in heaven. The Bible teaches us that ‘death for the believer’ is to ‘go home to be with God’. So Dad is now in a better place, where there is no sickness, no sorrow; he is forever with Jesus.

My dad was a ‘good man’. Everyone knew him as a good man. Dad worked hard and honestly, all his working days. He was honest and upright. His word was his bond.

But he was more than just a ‘good man’. People also knew my dad as a ‘godly man’; as a ‘believer’, because he believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus was dad’s personal savior and friend. Dad had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the son of God; Jesus Christ, the Savior of all those who put their trust in Him. Dad is in heaven today - not because he was a good man - but because he loved Jesus.

My dad grew up on the farm. As for religion, his father was an atheist; his mother, a devout Anglican lady. On New Year’s Day 1942, dad married my mother, the former Marion McNaughton (some of her relatives are here today). To this couple were born 3 children: daughter Lily, and sons Tom and Don (that is myself). In those days, my father claimed to be an atheist (as his father was); my mother had met Jesus in central British Columbia, as a teenager, through the Gospel Ministry of Lars and Olga Bye. There are many friends here today from that church, and from meetings and conventions here in the Wainwright area.

Now my father’s family (he, his brother and their father) were quite musical, and they played musical instruments, often playing for dances at the old Crescent Hill School, west of here, on the old road to Irma. Dad played the violin there, and I have vivid recollections of running around the dance floor - as a child of 4 or 5 years old - having as much fun as the adults! And I also have fond memories of many evenings at home - after a days work on the farm, and after supper - of dad playing his violin, as the 3 of us children went off to bed, and off to sleep.

Now Mom had brought the Bible into our home. And it happened, about 1950, that Dad started reading the Bible for himself, and we went regularly to church. About 1952, Dad met the best friend that any of us can ever have - Dad met Jesus - in a little country church north-west of Wainwright, a little gospel church called the Avon Glen Gospel Mission. And many of us have heard Dad affirm that he met Jesus through Pastor Tom Conway there. Some of you here today still go to that little church, and some you remember Tom Conway. Pastor Conway’s humble teachings of scripture had a profound influence on Dad’s life, and it changed our home. After that, we regularly read the Bible and prayed together as a family at home, usually around the kitchen table in the evening.

Dad still played his violin after that - but not at any more dances - after that, he played Gospel Songs. And sometimes my brother Tom or I played our accordion along with Dad at church. There was always music in our home.

For myself, I gave my life to Jesus in the summer of 1956, while we were attending the Alliance Church in Irma. And there are friends of ours here today, from that Irma church. My brother and sister, also, each have their own testimony, of their own personal relationship with Jesus.

Dad was faithful to God all through the years. For many years, Dad and Mom also had church meetings in their home on Sunday mornings. Christian Meetings were always joyful times.

Wilfred Sanders was a kind and gentle man, and he was a good father. He taught us many things, in a patient and loving way. We worked together on the farm as I grew up - some you worked with us. Over the years, my dad was a farmer, a blacksmith, a carpenter, the local handyman - he could fix anything. And he was a friend to all who knew him.

I haven’t seen my dad much these past few years. But about 2 years ago I had the precious privilege of visiting my Dad in the Extended Care Home here in Wainwright. As I visited with him, I spoke to him of Jesus, and I played my accordion, and sang a few hymns for him. He was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's Disease, and I don’t know how much he really understood. And do I know that he did not recognize me as his son. But when I mentioned the name 'JESUS', that Jesus was 'living in his heart', my Dad was visibly touched. A slight smile crossed his face and he nodded his head, his eyes brimmed with tears, and he whispered over and over: "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!". It was a touching moment, and I will always remember him that way.

So I have peace in my heart, because I know, without a shadow of doubt - that I shall be re-united with my dad, some day up in heaven, along with my mother, who went on to be with Jesus about 7 years ago.

Today - here, in this place - is a day of coming together . We represent many different families, we go to different churches, some came from a distance to be here; we all have had different journeys through life, and many of you - we haven’t seen for some years. But I trust that we can all be friends, in the truest sense of the word, and enjoy Godly fellowship together, through Jesus, the great Peace-Maker; as we remember the life of my father, and our good friend.

My dad would want it that way. My dad was a man of peace.

Thank you. And may God bless you all.