Smoke Sanders

Raphael Lewis “Smoke” Sanders, III, 56, of Hanover, beloved husband of Kim Tomecek Sanders, passed away peacefully, following a courageous battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at home surrounded by his loving family.

Born on Tuesday, March 6, 1962 in Hanover, he was a son of Raphael L. Sanders, Jr. of Hanover and the late Roseann Cramer Sanders. A 1980 graduate of South Western High School, he was a supervisor with Utz Quality Foods with 38 years of service. Smoke was a member of the New Oxford Social Club, McSherrystown Home Association, Hanover Republican Club, and a former member of the South Western Athletic Booster Club. He was an avid fan of the New York Yankees, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Dallas Cowboys.

Smoke was a humble and loving man with a great sense of humor. He lived a simple but happy life and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. His love, compassion, devotion, and support for his wife, children, siblings, and other family members and friends will be forever cherished. As his cousin, Curt Sanders, stated, “If everybody had a little more Smoke in them, this world would be a much a better place.”

Surviving, in addition to his wife of 28 years, are three children, Brianne Sanders Trimboli and her husband, Craig, Rafe Sanders and Ryan Sanders, all of Hanover; three brothers, Mike Sanders and his wife, Teri, of Lititz, Rob Sanders and his wife, Sue, and Charlie Sanders and his wife, Anna, all of Hanover; a sister, GeriLynn Benzel and her husband, Marc, of York; one step-grandchild, Dominic Trimboli of South Carolina; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

The funeral will be held at 12 noon on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 30 W. Chestnut Street, Hanover with The Rev. Kate Schroeder officiating. Burial will follow in Rest Haven Cemetery. The family will receive friends at viewings to be held from 4 to 7 PM Tuesday and from 9:30 to 11:30 AM Wednesday at the church.

The family asks that those attending wear their “Sanders Strong” shirts or favorite sports team attire.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University of Maryland School of Medicine; Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center; Fannie Angelos Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory; Attention: Nancy M. Hardy, MD; University of Maryland Medical Center; 22 S. Greene Street Suite N9E12; Baltimore, MD 21201 or to South Western High School Boys Basketball; 200 Bowman Road; Hanover, PA 17331.