Ernest Lee Landers

Ernest Lee Landers, gently passed into the hands of God during the early hours of Friday, the 27th day of June, 2014 surrounded by his family. Born on December 12, 1934, in Lamar County, Texas, he was one of three children born to Ernest Cecil and Minnie Lee Newsome Landers. His mother was deceased shortly after his birth. He was subsequently raised by his loving father and step-mother, Christine Hickey Cotton Landers. He graduated from Lamar High School in 1953 and attended the University of Houston. He began his career at Kohler in Houston, Texas in 1953, where he worked his way from an office clerk to outside sales. He met the love of his life, Sandra Sue Murphy, at The Second Baptist Church of Jacinto City. They were married on the second day of June, 1956. Of their loving union, four daughters were born, namely, Sabrina Landers Goodlett and husband Allen, Karen Landers Draffen and husband David (deceased April 26, 2014), Cynthia Landers Widlitze and husband John, and Sheran Landers Benton and husband Steve. He moved his family to Metairie, Louisiana in 1963 to pursue his career with Kohler and develop a lifelong fanship of the New Orleans Saints. In June 1975, he started his own manufacturer's representative company, Landers and Associates, which he ran with his wife at his side until his retirement in 2000. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sandra Sue Murphy Landers, Brother Edgar Cotton and wife Melba, Sisters Dorothy Jo Krause and Daena Landers Stafford and husband Sam. He is also survived by his four daughters, grandchildren Trevor Dean Goodlett, Alaena Lee Goodlett Ramsey and husband Brian, Aaron James Goodlett, Courtney Draffen Gullien and husband Julio, Reagan Samuel Buchler and husband Shane, Jacob Draffen and fiancé Leah, Warren Guy Samuel, II, and John Keller Widlitze, great-grandaughters Emma Grace Goodlett and Sophia Dean Goodlett, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Ernest Cecil Landers, mother Minnie Lee Newsome Landers, step-mother, Christine Hickey Cotton Landers, Sisters Dorothy Rene Landers Anderson and June Cotton, Brothers Byrl T. Landers, Jerry L. Landers and Ronald Landers. Special thanks to Dr. Leo Orejarnea and Dr. Paul Stahl and Concerned Care Hospice. Visitation will be Monday, June 30, 2014 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, #1 North Marigold Dr., Covington, Louisiana 70433. Services to follow at 10:30 with internment at Pinecrest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.