Biography
Early Years
A.C. Sanders III arrived on this earth March 11, 1941 in Lubbock, Texas. His
father had been born in Lubbock. Both parents, A.C. Jr and Crystelle,
graduated from Texas Tech.
The Sanders family owned Sanders Funeral Home, established by A.C.'s
grandparents in 1929. All four Sanders Boys worked there until A.C. Jr left
the business to join an insurance agency. Crystelle was a musician and
taught piano privately. A.C. began his studies of the piano at age 3 and
continued until age 18. Crystelle also served as business manager of the
Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. This exposed A.C. and sister Cindy to great
guest musicians who came to town to perform with the symphony.
A.C. played football, baseball, and participated in competitive swimming. He
graduated from Lubbock High School in 1959. He then went to Texas Tech
where his studies included philosophy, history, and government. He
competed for two years on the varsity swim team and played water polo.
During his teenage years, A.C. held a variety of jobs: sack boy in a grocery
store, summer work on a farm, common laborer with a pipeline construction
firm, and holiday work in the men's department of a department store.
Throughout high school and college, he worked at the family funeral home,
which would provide fodder for stories in later years.
Adult Years
After college, A.C. entered the army. In 1965, he married Mary Kindle whom
he had met while at Tech. The military moved them to El Paso, Germany,
Oklahoma, Georgia, and North Carolina. A.C. served in Vietnam
1967-1968. They were blessed with two sons. Tired of the revolving door to
Vietnam, he left the military in January, 1972.
A.C. owned and operated a private security service, a communication
company, and a limousine service.
In 1983 the call to coach tugged his sleeve, so he sold his businesses. In
1985 he entered University of Texas at El Paso to study Kinesiology and
exercise physiology. From that time until the present, A.C. has structured
strength and conditioning programs on a therapeutic basis for folks with
special needs.
In the late 1980's, A.C. began journaling to confront his Vietnam demons
and set that old experience in perspective. That discipline evolved to writing
those experiences in the third person in an effort to become more objective.
In 1994 he wrote his first short story. After much editing and help by writer
friends, the story evolved into the real deal and eventually won a short story
award. Buoyed by a touch of success, A.C. jumped into the writing game
seriously, finding his own style and voice.
His writings have won several regional awards. Some of the stories have
seen the light of publication.
Presently, A.C. regularly contributes to El Paso Magazine. He has
performed contract work, and produced newsletters for organizations. A
series of anthologies is in the works.
"Writing at my age is pretty easy. By then one has accumulated a lot to say.
Sifting through the mess and focusing on one subject long enough to
complete a project is the hard part."
Latest News
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A.C. Sanders III Writer
Wife Mary joins A.C. to anoint
the inspiration for many future
stories with adoration.
Granddaughter. Madison, was
a Christmas gift from daughter
in law Shelly and son Kindle.
the inspiration for many future
stories with adoration.
Granddaughter. Madison, was
a Christmas gift from daughter
in law Shelly and son Kindle.
"Pepper and Stella teach
me unconditional love. They
are also my biggest time
wasters."
me unconditional love. They
are also my biggest time
wasters."