Annie Tatum Newbill Saunders

Annie Tatum Newbill Saunders was joyfully reunited with Paul Massie Saunders, Sr. in their eternal heavenly home in the early morning hours of July 26, 2024. 

Tatum was born January 18, 1934 and grew up near Burnt Chimney in Franklin County, VA. Her mother, Annie Tatum Ferguson, was a teacher and later a principal at the local school. Her father, Thomas Carroll Newbill, was an engineering/surveying crew member of the Norfolk and Western Railroad headquartered in Roanoke.

Tatum told heartwarming stories of her childhood living in the country where on snowy school days in the dead of winter they would walk the three miles to school when the buses did not run. She talked of summers playing in Gills Creek, riding her bicycle with friends along the country road, and Halloween nights of "Trick or Treating". She enjoyed picking wild strawberries and blackberries and reminisced of summers full of 4-H activities, including a week's stay at Holiday Lake 4-H Camp, where she eventually became "Big Chief" for her county. Tatum was very athletic and tall for her age. She was competitive and played on the Franklin County School's girls basketball and softball teams. She would smile and tell of being called the "hind catcher" and would note that she never wore a facemask.

From childhood, Tatum had always wanted to be a nurse. In the fall of 1952, she enrolled at Mary Washington College and completed her studies at the University of Virginia School of Nursing, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and became an RN.

In the summer of 1955, while home on vacation, Tatum met Paul, then a Franklin County 4-H leader, at a youth swimming party. A year later they were married in Rocky Mount, VA. Paul’s work took the couple briefly to Alexandria and Blacksburg, but in December of 1957, they began their dream of raising a family on Paul’s family farm in Piney River, VA.

In a span of 11 years, Tatum gave birth to 7 sons. While raising the children, she was an integral part of the family farm, doing research for the survey business, packing peaches, raising calves, delivering plants to garden centers, and serving as the nurse to any ailment, man or beast. The farm grew and Tatum’s responsibilities soon also included bookkeeping and payroll. Always the last one to go to bed, everyone wondered when she slept.

 Tatum was very active in her community working as an adult leader in the local 4-H club and raised money for memorable trips to New York and Florida. She taught Sunday School for many years and delighted to place cut flowers from her yard on the altar every Sunday at Rose Union Baptist Church.

Tatum’s large supper table was always overflowing and included truck drivers, fellow workers, cousins, salesmen, exchange students, girlfriends, and anyone else who happened to show up. All were graciously welcomed, and no one went away hungry. 

While Paul focused on the business and the endless work of the farm, he was forced to yield to Tatum’s insistence that their children be well-rounded. She planned swim lessons, family cookouts, beach trips, and helped her children to spread their wings. As her boys grew older, she encouraged art, music, and social activities and put forth the effort to support those endeavors.

Tatum looked forward to the family celebrations of Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. As Tatum’s boys began to marry and bring grandchildren into the family, Christmas had special meaning. Santa Claus always visited Grandma’s house and left the children many gifts picked out especially for them. Tatum enthusiastically helped Santa, in some years filling over 50 stockings.

As Tatum’s family grew with grandchildren, one of her greatest joys was to designate one day a week in the summers as “Grandma Day”. If the children were potty trained, they were eligible to be included in the day’s activities. After lunch, the favorite adventure was to take a farm wagon load of cousins and friends to the Tye River to go swimming, wading, and fishing. At the end of the day, the children, dog-tired and ready for bed, but not ready to go home, were full of amazing childhood memories.

Tatum’s greatest legacy was the selfless and unconditional love that she showed to every human being that came into her life. The amazing thing is that her love knew no bounds, that you didn’t have to be in her tribe to receive her love. No one knows how many people were impacted by the sincere interest and investment that she made in other people. Those that did receive her love were not jealous of others who received it, because her treasure chest of love was without limit. 

Tatum is survived by her brother, Thomas Carroll Newbill, Jr. and wife Sallie Puller Newbill of Franklin County. She is also survived by biological sons Paul Massie, Jr. (Joyce), Thomas Newbill (Lyn), Julian Bennett (Lynn), James William (Amy), Robert Edmund (Pat), John Tatum (Ruth), and Samuel Ferguson, along with 30 grandchildren and 26 great- grandchildren. Two more young men became a part of the Saunders family and were treated as brothers, Frank (Sandra) Sirois, and Ivan (Galina) Morozov.

The family encourages visitation at the Saunders Brothers, Inc. Farm Market located at 2717 Tye Brook Highway, Piney River VA on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 from 5-7:30 p.m. Ice cream, the favorite dessert of both Paul and Tatum, will be served!

A Celebration of Life will be held at Calvary Baptist Church, 8408 Thomas Nelson Hwy., Lovingston VA on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. followed by interment at Harewood Cemetery at 700 Harewood Lane, Roseland VA. Rose Union Baptist Church will host a lunch reception following the graveside service. 

Tatum Saunders was a breast cancer survivor. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged online at www.getinvolved.uvahealth.org. Click Donate Now and Choose Tatum Saunders and then at dropdown choose Breast Cancer Research.  To donate by check, make payable to UVA Health Foundation with Breast Cancer Center written in memo area.  P.O. Box 400331 Charlottesville, VA 22904.

Arrangements by Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel, Lovingston (434-263-4097).