James R. “Jim” Saunders died Sept. 11, 2013, following a prolonged illness. He was born in Sanford on Sept. 23, 1936 to Clifford B. and Lillian (Marsh) Saunders. Jim graduated Sanford High School with the class of 1954 and went to work as a traveling photographer for Olan Mills. He also served briefly in the Army National Guard as a unit clerk.

He married the love of his life, Aline Charland of Kennebunk, on Feb. 14, 1958 and together they raised five sons and a daughter in Springvale. Jim was a professional photographer with his own studio in Portland and was a member of the Maine and New England Professional Photographers Associations.
Jim and Aline moved to Kennebunk in 1989 while he worked as operations manager for Charland and Gendreau Construction. After moving to Kennebunk, Jim and Aline joined St. Martha’s Parish where Jim served as member and later Grand Knight of the local Knights of Columbus council as well as serving on other parish boards.
Jim was an avid reader and loved Sinatra and the big bands as well as jazz. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, ATV riding, a glass of good scotch, and taking his grand children for ice cream in his convertible. He took many memorable trips to Colorado to fly fish and hunt big game.
He is survived by sons Michael, Randy and wife Judy, Kurt and wife Pam, J. and wife Debbie, Barry and wife Wren, and daughter Pattie Lazaroff, as well as 21 grand children, 17 great-grand children and four great-great-grand children.
Services will be held at St. Martha’s Parish Church, 30 Portland Road, Kennebunk, on Sept. 23, 2023, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St Martha’s Parish Knights of Columbus council scholarship fund and mailed to Knights of Columbus, 30 Portland Road, Kennebunk, ME 04043. Please mark contributions for the Scholarship Fund in memory of James Saunders.
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