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Walter Charles Saunders, 89, of Jamestown, died at 11:59 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009.

He was born on the family farm in Franklinville, N.Y., on June 5, 1920, the son of Charles Walter and Margaret Connors Saunders.

He was a 1937 graduate of Ten Broeck Academy and a 1940 graduate of Cornell and Alfred Agricultural colleges. Walter was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers Administration for 23 years, retiring in 1986. He also operated the family farm on Route 16 in Franklinville for 43 years. While living in Franklinville, he was a member of St. Philomena's Catholic Church and was currently a member of St. James Catholic Church and a member of the Franklinville Conservation Club.

He and his wife, Betty, provided a home for many foster children and after her death in 1964, he raised his four children as a single parent.

Survivors include two sons: Robert (Shelley) Saunders, Ashville, N.Y., and Bruce (Betsy) Saunders, Shelby Township, Mich.; two daughters: Kim (Laurie) Saunders, West Jordan, Utah, and Kellie (Eugene) Dunne, Macomb, Mich.; grandchildren: Ryan (Kristin) Saunders, Falconer, N.Y, Shayne (Carrie) Saunders, Lakewood, N.Y., Kim Miller, Michael Saunders, Bruce Saunders Jr., Shelby Township, Mich., and Joshua Hendrickson, West Jordan, Utah; great-granddaughters: Lindsay Lulko and Courtney Saunders, Shelby Township, Mich.; a foster son, Dennis Gagliardi, St. Marys, Ga.; a sister, Virginia Morgan, Blasdell, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews also survive.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Stone Saunders, who died Aug. 11, 1964; and by four sisters: Kathleen McClory, Violet Bowen, Pauline Graham and Bernice Brown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in St. James Catholic Church. The Rev. Joseph Dowdell, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, will officiate. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Ellicottville, N.Y.

Friends will be received on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Hubert Funeral Home and Cremation Services, where a Christian Wake Service will be held at 6:45 p.m.

Memorials may be made to the American Red Cross of the Southern Tier, Local Disaster Relief Fund, 325 Fourth St., Jamestown, NY 14701.