James Lawrence "Tinker" Sanderlin

DAYTON - James Lawrence "Tinker" Sanderlin was an outdoorsman at heart. His whole lifetime was most loved and enjoyed being outside, bow hunting, fishing, kayaking, rappelling, hiking, riding his Harley Davidson with his friends of the Iron Order MC, riding the river on his Jet-Ski, working the fields on his dad's tractor and barbecuing anywhere possible. Anything as long as it was outdoors. He was a man who enjoyed taking a hands-on approach to life and lived it that way.

James Lawrence of Dayton died outdoors Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026, just a few days short of his 60th birthday.

He was born Mar. 17, 1966, in Kilmarnock VA to John F. and Patricia A. (Woten) Sanderlin.

James Lawrence worked in many positions over his lifetime always willing to try something new, lastly with United Grocery Outlet at the time of his death.

He was funny, a bit shy but never lacked for a good story, especially those of his youth being the great snake-hunter with his older brother in Texas or of the baby skunk and how it used to pounce and fluff up until the day it learned how to spray, or even naming our cow "Strawberry" and her calf "Bubbly," the female friends in his life called him a sweetheart, the guys just said "he was a great person to be around", and all said "we will miss him greatly". He always had a joke, and no one was a stranger to him. And the only real deep political issue for him was the constant poisoning of our waterways, flora & fauna.

James Lawrence is survived by a very special stepson & step daughter, Cody Gordon and Hailee Green (Tyler) of Cleveland; one brother, John R. Sanderlin of Norfolk VA; four sisters, Patricia R. (Sanderlin) Riley of Dayton TN, April D. (Sanderlin) Moseley of TX, Simone L. Sanderlin of WV, Evelyn A. Sanderlin of NC; one sister-in-law, Margit J. Sanderlin and two brothers-in-law, Bobby Riley of Dayton and Roy Moseley of TX; two aunts, Carol Hawthorn and Harriet Ware, one uncle, Dr. Henry Ware, many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, some great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews, many cousins, and friends who he met along his path through this world all over the nation.

His father, John F. Sanderlin; mother, Patricia A. Sanderlin; oldest sister, Michelle S. Sanderlin; younger brother, Rysom W. Sanderlin; one infant sister; one great nephew, Kiefer R. Sanderlin; a few cousins and most of his aunts and uncles passed to the next life earlier.

A Memorial Service will be at Grace Bible Church, 2809 Old Washington Hwy, Dayton, TN Date & Time to be announced.