Rhonda Sanders

On November 19, 1960, Rhonda Rochella Campbell Sanders brought joy to her parents Sam and Mattie Bass Campbell when she was born. Her older brother, Nigel was also happy to have a baby sister. 

Rhonda was an adventurous child and never shied away from experiencing new things. She gave her heart to Christ at an early age and joined the Hillcrest Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Rhonda loved to travel and was known to sometimes travel alone when she got the itch to go, and her family and friends were not available. She knew the interstates well and could tell you how to get to your destination, even if she hadn’t been there before. Rhonda was educated in the Nashville Public Schools and attended Maplewood High School. She worked in food services in Metropolitan Nashville Public School System and in the Tennessee State Prison. She was later employed at Nashville International Airport and worked there until 2020. 

In April 1985 Rhonda married Marion Sanders, Jr. Together they raised four children – James & Jamal Campbell, who are awaiting the return of the Life Giver; their only daughter Princess Marion Sanders, and their grandson, Javonta (Ja-VON-tay) Bumper, who they raised as their son. 

Rhonda was very kind-hearted and would give you her last if she knew you were in need. And if someone needed something she didn’t have, she would direct them to someone who could help. 

Rhonda worked for years with her beloved Uncle Alvin Bass with the Hillcrest Homeless Ministry. He knew he could always count on her to cook at the last minute if the assigned person or group was not able to show up for the weekly lunch that was served at the “Daycare Building” on Wednesdays, or the evening dinner provided to the Room In The Inn guests at Hillcrest on Tuesdays. Later, Rhonda helped with the Hillcrest Homeless Ministry on Sabbaths, led by Jackie Knight. This ministry takes lunches, clothing and personal care items to individuals at the Nashville Rescue Mission, as well as to homeless camps in the city. Every year Rhonda was an intricate part of the church’s annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive which provides baskets of food to needy families. She always provided many dozens of eggs and helped to assemble the baskets.

The Hillcrest Women’s Ministry was also one that Rhonda enjoyed. She would attend as many of their events as she could. She especially enjoyed the annual Women’s Retreat and began attending them together with her mother. After her mother passed, Rhonda continued to attend the Women’s Retreats. If she couldn’t find someone to go with her, she would go alone, but she was going. She attended The Retreat at Center Hill Lake, driving “Mama Lou” Reid and Mimi Davis there in October of last year. She also loved going to South Central Conference’s annual Camp Meeting, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and any other Church sponsored event. She was making plans to attend the upcoming United Youth Congress in Orlando, Florida this summer. 

Rhonda enjoyed playing “Santa” for her grandchildren. She would drive all over town to deliver gifts to them every year. She loved her Aunt Ruby and would often call or visit her. Although Aunt Ruby was her Uncle Alvin’s wife, Rhonda considered Aunt Ruby’s family as her own. Aunt Ruby’s sisters and brothers were her aunts and uncles too, and she would visit them as often as she could. Rhonda was close to her cousins Ivy, Phyllis, Vernell, and Veronica. She was also good friends with her church buddy, Barrington Mitchell. Gaynell Daniel was her best friend, neighbor and travel buddy. Rhonda truly enjoyed life and joking around. Some words to describe her include “Larger Than Life,” “Fun Loving” and “Life of the Party.” 

Rhonda was preceded in sleep by her father Sam Campbell, mother Mattie Bass Campbell, her brother Nigel Campbell, and her sons James (aka Jamie) Campbell and Jamal Campbell. She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband Marion Sanders, Jr., her daughter Princess Marion Sanders, her grandson Jovonta Bumper, her sister Constance Madry, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, her darling Aunt Ruby Bass, Cousins: Richard (Carol) Bass, Darcy (Ann) Bass, Phyllis (Charles) Smith, Quintin (Judith) Bass, Shawn Bass, Ivy Bass, Vernell Bass Moore, and Veronica (Kennedy) Luckett, best friend Gaynell Daniel, a host of other family, and a multitude of church members, and friends.