1. In Memoriam: Irwin Taylor Sanders II, Professor of History Emeritus and University Historian

W&L News Office
August 23, 2024

Irwin Taylor Sanders II, professor of history emeritus and university historian at Washington and Lee University, died on Aug. 17. He was 81.

He was born on April 17, 1943, to Stuart Sanders II '31 and Adelina Hall Sanders, in Richmond, Virginia. Both his uncle and grandfather, Irwin Taylor Sanders '29 and Robert Stuart Sanders, Class of 1907, attended W&L. Sanders graduated in 1965 from Centre College of Kentucky, majoring in history and classics. He won the Greek Prize while an undergrad, and he belonged to Beta Theta Pi fraternity, as well as honor societies Phi Alpha Theta and Omicron Delta Kappa.

He earned his master's degree in ancient history from the University of Virginia in 1967 and completed his Ph.D. in 18th-century British history there five years later with a dissertation titled, "The Odyssey of 'Palmyra' Wood."

He joined W&L as an associate professor in September 1969 to teach ancient, British and medieval history and was promoted to full professor in 1981. His research focused on regional history, including churches, as well as the history of W&L, and he became university historian in 1973. With that public-facing role, he regularly gave lectures to student groups and visitors - including addressing the First-Year class during orientation week - and wrote articles for the W&L magazine. In addition to speaking at the university's Alumni College program, he was part of the first Alumni College trip abroad in 1985, which took travelers to the United Kingdom.

Sanders published numerous papers and articles, wrote six monographs and authored two books: "A Journey in Faith: The History of the Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church" and "Now Let the Gospel Trumpet Blow: A History of New Monmouth Presbyterian Church, 1746-1980." He also took an interest in computer simulations and historical studies, as well as the reconstruction of past climates and their human impact. He was admitted into the Society of Cincinnati, the nation's oldest patriotic organization, in 1976 and was named the Virginia Society of Cincinnati's Distinguished George Washington Scholar. In 1986, he traveled to Egypt as a National Council Fellow at the American University in Cairo to research 18th-century British scholar and traveler Robert Wood.

Beyond his professional career, he immersed himself in various Virginia and local organizations and offered his historical expertise in a multitude of ways. He served on the citizens advisory committee of the Virginia legislative commission for the commemoration of the War of 1812. He was a consultant for the Virginia Historic Landmark Commission from 1971-1974 and served as the Rockbridge Historical Society director. He was a past member and chair of the Lexington Planning Commission and its Board of Zoning Appeals. He was a member of the Lexington Boys Club board of directors, the Jamestown Society and the General Society of the War of 1812. He stewarded eventing competitions at the Virginia Horse Center, was an elder at the Lexington Presbyterian Church and served on the Shenandoah Presbytery's historical committee.

In 2011, after 44 years, he retired from W&L and moved with his wife, Barbara Wilson Sanders, to Danville, Kentucky.

Sanders is survived by his sister, Jessica Sanders Jones (Addison) of Richmond, Virginia, his sons, Wallace Bruce Sanders (Catherine) of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Stuart Wilson Sanders (Jenny) of Danville, Kentucky, and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife.

Burial will be at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Heritage Hospice of Danville, Kentucky (heritagehospice.com).

Sanders' full obituary was published by The News-Gazette.

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