James Earl Sanderson, Sr., age 69, of Lumberton, NC passed away on Friday, May 22, 2015 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA. He was born in Robeson County, NC on January 5, 1946 to the late Arelious Thurston (R.T.) Sanderson and the late Annie Christine Rozier Sanderson Walters. He was a four year veteran of the United States Air Force. He was director of Basic Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at Robeson Community College as well as an instructor. He was Chief of Police for many years in St. Pauls, NC; and a former officer in the Lumberton and the Charlotte Police Departments. He also worked for the North Carolina Department of Revenue. He was preceded in death by his parents, RT Sanderson and Christine Sanderson Walters; a brother, Stafford Sanderson (Dorothy); and a nephew, Luther Sanderson, Jr. Mr. Sanderson is survived by his wife, Earline Sanderson; daughter, Pamela Sanderson Romano; a son, James Earl Sanderson, Jr. (Margaret); grandchildren, Jeffrey Romano, Jr., Zackary Romano, Justin Romano, and James Earl Sanderson III; mother-in-law, Marie Massengill; brothers, Luther Sanderson (Loyce) and Darryl Sanderson; sister, Karabeth Hammonds (Bernice); brother-in-law, Harold Wilson (Connie); sister-in-law, Sue Oldenburg (Jim); nephews and nieces, Jamie Wilson (Jackie), Tabitha Patrick, Travis Oldenburg (Cassie), Shane Wilkins (Charity), Lisa Baxley (Frankie), Lisa King (Sydney), and Paul Kelley (Kim). A time of visitation will be held on Friday, May 29, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Floyd Mortuary & Crematory, Inc., 809 East 5th Street in Lumberton. The funeral service will be held on Saturday May 30, 2015 at 2:00 PM at Godwin Heights Baptist Church with Rev. David Hawes officiating. Burial will follow in Meadowbrook Cemetery in Lumberton. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Lung Transplant Coordinators, UPMC Presbyterian, Suite C-900, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or Lumberton Lions Club, 306 N. Cedar Street, Lumberton, NC 28358.