Josephine Marie Sanders Funderburk “Mamaw Josie” was born on November 18, 1950 in Springville, TN and stepped into heaven at 9:33 on January 1, 2023 at her home in Dennis, MS.
We will Celebrate her life at Trinity Assembly of God on Tuesday, January 3, 11 a.m. Bro. David Kelley and Bro. Mark Shumaker will officiate. Visitation will be Monday, January 2, 6-9 p.m. and Tuesday, January 3, 9-11 a.m. at Trinity Assembly of God. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers but there will be no graveside service.
If you knew her, you knew she was hilarious to be around. She had “quick wit” for sure!
Josie was also a very godly woman and she lived it out in front of her family and friends. She was a member of Trinity Assembly of God in Red Bay, AL where she was the church seamstress, worked in the kitchen, was part of the Sisters of Joy comedy team and most importantly a prayer warrior! She was part of a prayer group that met weekly for over 20 years! We will be benefiting from those prayers for the rest of our lives because God is faithful and will continue to answer her prayers even as she bows before Him in heaven. She was ready. Ready to see her mama, ready to see her husband and she said most of all she was ready to see Jesus because she loves Him so much.
Crossing over before her were her husband, Jack Funderburk, her parents, Woodrow and Callie Sanders and three brothers, Melvin, Ronnie and Baby Sanders.
She leaves behind a brother, Cotton Sanders and his wife, Betty; also her sister and best friend, Nadine Hatley; her children are David and Wendy Shumaker, Teresa and Jay Tate, Mark and Windy Shumaker and Jackie and Casey Kelly. Her grandchildren are Tori and Gavin Cromeans, Chase and Morgan Shumaker, Callie Tate, Gracie Tate, Courtney and Ethan Huggins, Abigail Shumaker, Blake Shumaker, Isaiah Kelley, Nathaniel Kelley, Jaida Kelley, Eli Brown, Lyla Brown, Canaan Kelly, Noah Kelly and Sparrow Kelly. Her great-grandchildren are Carrington Matthias and Silas Cromeans, Claire Huggins, Matox Melcher and Mary-Jane Josephine Shumaker. She shares grandchildren with her wonderful pastors David and Jeffery Kelley who have always been family to her and has a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family and friends who she loves very much and prayed for daily.
She leaves a legacy of faith in God, faith that He will comfort us and faith that we will see her again. Cancer is a taker, but God is a giver. He gave her lots of good days, wonderful time with family and a long goodbye. Until we see you again…we sure will miss you Mama.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Trinity Assembly of God, 1116 4th St. NE, Red Bay, AL 35582.
