Gintaras Drake "Charlie" Sanborn

GINTARAS “CHARLIE” DRAKE SANBORN
October 19, 1965 ˜ June 29, 2019

Gintaras “Charlie” Drake Sanborn passed away June 29, 2019 in New Orleans, LA due to fighting long term complications from diabetes and kidney failure.
Charlie was born in Santa Barbara, CA to Wayne and Zivile (Galiunas) Sanborn. He enjoyed a wonderful childhood growing up in the sunshine, playing youth football and baseball until relocating with his family to Battle Ground, WA in November of 1978.
Charlie’s first showing of natural musical talent arrived during the Christmas of 1978 when his grandfather bought his first Pearl drum set. He had a natural ability to learn by ear and became proficient in playing both drums and bass guitar to his favorite rock band, Rush.
Charlie officially started his successful entertainment career while playing in the Battle High School Prep Band where he also started a popular local rock band “Menace” and the rest is history...
Charlie had tremendous stage presence. His favorite quote was, “I’m not a musician. I’m an entertainer!” came from his love of dancing while playing bass on stage. Charlie was a well-known and respected bassist in the industry. He would go onto play many genres of music with many bands finally settling in Nashville in 2011 while awaiting a kidney and pancreas transplant. He particularly favored Tokyo, Japan as his “favorite place on earth” and wanted to live there if his health was better.
Charlie was a jokester and loved making people laugh. He was talented at organizing events and was great at bringing people together. He was someone everyone wanted to “be around”. He always had a positive outlook on life even throughout his many years of pain and suffering. He would use his sense of humor to make light of his health situations.
He was a strong fighter and out of sheer necessity, became proficient in the medical field as he had to adapt to treatments in order to stay alive. He would often collaborate with the many doctors surrounding him making sure medical techniques were done properly as he understood them. He was also talented in many other creative ways such as cooking and was technically inclined designing products for the music industry.
He was an inspiration and uplifting force in so many people’s lives. Only after his passing are we able to see the many lives he’s touched in so many special ways. The response from the music world is especially overwhelming as we are now learning of his inspiration and help to others in struggling careers. He would often say his son Weston “is the shining example of my life.”
Charlie spent his last few years living in New Orleans with his mother as caregiver and support from his sister Erika and her husband Tracy but he was able to still pursue his musical passion in a limited way.
Charlie is survived by his son Weston of Las Cruces, NM; his parents Wayne of Vancouver, WA, and Zivile Galiunas of New Orleans, LA; two brothers Rick with Melanie of Yacolt, WA, Michael with Kim of Newport, NC; and one sister, Erika with Tracy Farmer of Mandeville, LA; two nephews Alek with Alesha Farmer and Cameron Sanborn; two nieces Sarah Sanborn and June Farmer; Aunt Jayne with Dennis Carey of Eugene, OR with their three daughters and grandchildren.
Please sign his guestbook @ www.columbian.com/obits