Ricco La’Vance Sanders

Ricco La’Vance Sanders passed suddenly on Saturday, January 21, 2023. He is
survived by his mother; Sheryl D. Sanders and grandmother; Theodora C.
Sanders.

He was preceeded in death by sister; Zanniea S. Sanders, grandfather; Charlie
Sanders Jr., uncle; Wendell L. Sanders.

Ricco is survived by aunts and an uncle; Charlene A. Grant, Regenia F. Sanders, and
Rodney (Deborah) Sanders, first cousins; Reggie (Dawn) Jackson, Leshawna Pead,
Kanya Grant, Rev. Dorian Grant, De’Ontay and Izabella Sanders, Lisa (Tommy)
Mahoney, D’Lacey (Nicole) Stith, Lydia, Melita, and Abigail Sanders and a host of
other family and friends.

As was the tradition, his grandmother, Theodora gave him a nickname. She
called him “Nutter-Butter”, “Nutter” for short. He was her oldest grandchild, and
he always answered her with a smile. Remembering Ricco puts a smile on our
face because he loved to have fun and laugh. Not a weak laugh but a big laugh,
with a wide contagious smile. Ricco was also fiercely protective of family and
friends. He would react fast; once he ran out of the house to protect his cousin,
fell, and broke a tooth.

Ricco was gifted on the organ and piano. At age eleven, he played piano after a
young man who played Mozart. Ricco’s rendition of the “Boogie Woogie” brought
the house down. He loved both music and movies. In high school, a promising
football career was cut short by a leg injury. He was also a computer whiz with
skills so superior his manager found Ricco’s output was double any other
employee.

Leshawna remembers visits that would become impromptu cookouts and that
he never missed her son Isaiah’s college or pro football games. Kanya still hears
Ricco say -“Kan we got this”. Ricco taught young Theara to squat, hold a bat
that was taller than her and hit a baseball into the parking lot. The girls, Lydia,
Melita and Abigail recall marching and chanting, “Ric-co, Ric-co, Ric-co”; he would
join in, chanting and laughing.

Most importantly, Ricco knew Jesus. He had been a member of Greater Twelfth
Missionary Baptist Church and St John AME Church, attending Sunday School
and the Men’s Bible Study. He has left us, but we are sure Jesus took him home!
Ricco is loved and will be missed by us all.

Visitation 10:00 AM and Funeral Service 11:00 AM Friday, February 3, 2023 at Greater Twelfth Missionary Baptist Church, 1561 Cleophus Kee Blvd. Interment at Glen Rest Memorial Estates. Ministry of Comfort entrusted to MARLAN J. GARY FUNERAL HOME, THE CHAPEL OF PEACE EAST, 5456 E. Livingston Ave.