George Aaron Saunders

SAUNDERS George Aaron Saunders, noted New Orleans architect, died on March 25, 2006 in Atlanta, of complications from surgery. He had been in intensive care in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina forced his evacuation to Atlanta, where he struggled to regain his health in both hospital and nursing facilities. He was 86. Born in 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr. Saunders served in the United States Army during World War II, and was educated at the University of Oklahoma, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his Master of Architecture degree. He served on the faculty of Tulane University School of Architecture from 1951-1955, before entering private practice. As an architect, Mr. Saunders practiced independently as well as with the firms of Lawrence, Saunders & Calogne and Lawrence & Saunders. His individual work and that with his partner, former Tulane School of Architecture Dean, John Lawrence Sr, included many private residences, commercial buildings, and church facilities in the greater New Orleans area. Among them were the Elysian Fields Methodist Church, Gretna Methodist Church, St. Bernard Methodist Church, Corpus Christi Chapel of St. Joseph Seminary, Pope John XIII Library of St. Mary's Dominican College, St. Stanislaus High School (Bay St. Louis), Methodist Hospital, and the International Hotel. He received numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects, Louisiana Architects Association, Architectural Record, and Progressive Architecture. George Saunders is survived by his wife, Laura Cheramie Saunders; his daughters Jan Saunders Hutchison and Jill Saunders Ali; his stepson, Jim Ledet; grand-daughters Hayley and Lacey Hutchison; and his sister, Dorothy Saunders Bickel. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Mass in the Chapel of Mothe Funeral Homes, 2100 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, La on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Parlors will be open on Saturday, April 1, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. until service. Interment Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Gretna, LA.