Alexander Michael Saunders

It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of Dr Alexander Michael Saunders, M.D. on September 20th, 2024 at Mission Hospice's Maryland Home in Redwood City, California, at the age of 93.
An accomplished academic pathologist and business executive, he was born in Budapest, Hungary, as Sandor Szende, youngest of three brothers. His parents passed away during the period of escape from Europe, at the beginning of WWII. Placed in boarding school in Vancouver, BC at age 10 years, he learned the importance of a diligent work ethic from the Irish Christian Brothers who ran the school.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1953 from Stanford University and went on to earn an MD at the University of British Columbia in 1957. In the years to follow, he pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in pathology and immunology at the University of Chicago.
As an intern Dr Saunders realized that the differential white blood cell test needed important improvements. As an assistant professor at Stanford University, Dr. Saunders was approached by a company in the clinical laboratory industry to put his ideas into practice by pioneering a fully automated white blood cell test. With a team of 40 engineers, biologists and statisticians, the test revolutionized the blood testing industry. Dr Saunders was at the forefront of changing clinical medicine from an art form into a science. In more recent years, as CEO of his own company Chronomed Inc., he spearheaded many innovations.
In retirement, Dr. Saunders dedicated himself to making a vibrant home out of his new community at Brookdale Redwood City. He thrived there as President of the Residents Council and as the facilitator of many new activities, and made many new friends.
In addition to his medical work, Dr Saunders wrote "To Our Credit: Two Autobiographies," alongside his brother, Peter Paul Saunders in 2009, and "Book of Strange Lights: First Volume of the Reset Civilization Series", in 2024.
He is survived by his children Paul, Brian and Joanne, his grandchildren Victor, Irene, Judith, Steven and Andrew, his daughters-in-law Eleanor and Hsiu-Ming, son-in-law Dave and future granddaughter-in-law Awista. He will be laid to rest with his dear wife Peggy. He was the glue that held his family and friends together and he will be missed, and remembered with much love.
A public Funeral Mass will be held on October 15th, 2024 at 10 am, at St. Charles Catholic Church, 880 Tamarack Ave, San Carlos, CA 94070, followed by a private interment at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, Palo Alto CA.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made in his honor to St. Charles Parrish or the Brookdale Redwood City Employee Appreciation Fund.