In Honor of Gene Sanders

In Honor of Genes passing I thought we could post up some bows and memories of him and times spent with him.

I will go first. ......lol...... The first I ever heard of Gene was the second time I joined TBG . G&L archery had a full page add in the news letter (magazine) man I drooled over that Mantis bow in the add.

Here is my 52" Evolution that Gene built me. Osage riser with boo limbs

Good idea John. Good seeing you today.

Al33 said:

Good idea John. Good seeing you today.

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you to Al.... it's been way to long my friend.

While I was working with Gene one Saturday building bows. We got to talking about the TBG. I knew Gene had donated bows for them to auction off but never really knew just how many and what the value was........ he estimated in the neighborhood of several thousand dollars worth. This did not include the bows he built for the kids trailer.

I have the "spirit bow" right now. I think it's a Mantis, great bow. It will be passed to someone else in August at the TBG banquet.

I have one of two hickory & glass long bows that Gene and Doug Bell made. Doug had asked me to go to Gene's shop with him one morning and of course I did because I loved visiting with Gene and many of his other guests that were always there. I was surprised when they presented me with this beautiful bow. 64", 48#@28" and inscribed Ole Hickory #2, custom made for me, and signed by Gene. It has antler tip overlays and shoots great. I will cherish it the rest of my days here on earth.

Gene was a VERY generous soul and both he and his former partner Larry made some fantastic bows over the years. I sure hope someone puts all of his bow making tools and materials to good use and keeps the tradition going. Rest in peace brother Gene, I and many others will miss you and your old shop.

This very special young lady shooting one of Gene's Bows is Sarah Barr. At the time, she was battling cancer and going through chemo.
She was shooting the bow at a benefit shoot Robert Foster had arranged to help with her expenses.
She was very sick, and weak, but got much enjoyment from using this bow and watching the feathers fly to the target.
Tony Smith gifted Sarah this bow along with some arrows, an arm guard and a glove.

Gene got me started building glass bows. He and his brother Eddie taught me so much. I will always be greatfull for that....

I was going to post that very pic Jeff.... I never met Gene, but have heard nothing by great things about him. That bow must have had some special stuff in it.... Sarah is now cancer free and doing great. Gene touched more people than he knew with his bows.

Al33 said:

Gene was a VERY generous soul and both he and his former partner Larry made some fantastic bows over the years. I sure hope someone puts all of his bow making tools and materials to good use and keeps the tradition going. Rest in peace brother Gene, I and many others will miss you and your old shop.

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x2 I'm truly blessed to met an know Gene.

I won a bow Gene donated at a TBG gathering once. I killed several deer and pigs with it. He was a good man.RC

The last bow I got to build with Gene before he had hip replacement is one of my favorite bows. We decided to go all out on this one ......lol...... Bacote riser with Bacote limb vaneers.

I still remember talking to Gene the day we did the final work on the Bacote bow. He was going to have hip replacement the next week. All the time I had spent building bows with him never once did he complain about the pain he was in. You could tell by the look on his face that he was hurting but he wouldn't let the words come out of his mouth.

He taught me so much more than just building bows.

I dont even know where to start.....I was building my first bow (a red oak board bow) years ago and needed a string for it and someone told me about Gene. I gave him a call and he invited me out to his shop. He graciously looked my little pathetic bow over and made me a string while I was there. I owned a Painting business at the time and ended up painting the indside and outside of his house and spent a lot of time with him. He offered to teach me how to build bows (a real one, lol) adn I spent the next year in his shop as much as I could learning from him. I ended up building a handful of bows during that time including my goto bow for the last 5+ years which is the bow in my avatar.

Unfortunatley over the last few years we lost contact as I travel more and more for work and bursitis in my shoulder has kept me from shooting bows. I unexpectedly ran into him at my physical therapist after working on my shoulder a few months ago and now looking back if I would have known that would have been the last time I would see him I would have said so much more.

Gene was a mountain of a man and I wish I could have spent more time with him over the last couple of years. I am glad that I was able to know him and call him a friend. The Trad archery world has lost a treasure, that is a fact.

I'm broken in Gene's passing. So many memories made in the years with him. Well over 20 years I have shot his bows and never was he happier than when he found out about critters taken with them.

Gene went through some rough times a few years back with depression due to declining health and shared he would be leaving the life of being a bowyer. I was shocked and went to visit and came home with most of his equipment and all his mantis forms not because I'm a bowyer but because his designs are (IMO) GREAT! Today I still hunt with 4 (and there are many more, ask my wife) of the bows he built for me.

In the days coming I will miss his presence in my life, his advice and his friendship. Love you Brother!

Remember Me:
To the living, I am gone.
To the sorrowful, I will never return.
To the angry, I was cheated,
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.
I cannot be seen, but I can be remembered.
So as you stand upon a shore, gazing at a beautiful sea - remember me.
As you look in awe at a mighty forest and its grand majesty - remember me.
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity - remember me.
Remember me in your heart, your thoughts, and your memories of the times we loved, the times we cried, the times we fought, the times we laughed. For if you always think of me, I will have never gone.

I just finished reading all the posts in the "services" thread about Gene, and I really don't know where to start.

I got the call yesterday at work from Ed concerning Gene. Like many of you it broke my heart to hear of his passing.

I hope all you new folks and strangers that have read these posts about Gene recognize the prevailing theme - he was a generous and giving soul.

I met Gene somewhere in the late 90's at the Paradise Hunt Club during the annual winter TBG hog and squirrel hunt. It was somewhere between 1996 and 1999.

He and Larry had a rack full of bows they had built. Selling them cheap - like $200 or $250 a piece. Their performance was amazing.

Like others I was learning how to craft bows. I had already learned how to make selfbows - and made quite a few. The desire to build a laminated longbow was consuming me. Gene was there to help.

Many people think all in the traditional community are open armed people that share without reservation. Not true. In those days when I was learning I called several bowyers in the Southeast and other places. I had a few down here be downright nasty to me on the phone.

Not Gene. He asked me to come up to his shop. I was living south of Waynesboro at the time, so it was a long haul to Dallas, GA. He even had me sleep over at his house so I wouldn't have to drive back home, and so we could keep working in his shop.

I spent days at his shop. Weeks even. He gave me so much: knowledge, a delta sander, wood, glass, strings, a custom quiver, and his time. Most importantly he gave me his friendship.

We built several bows together, and I was an astute apprentice. I will never forget his words of praise and encouragement.

I always thought Gene looked like Santa Claus with his white hair, beard and big belly! (He did like to eat)

Turns out his nature was like just Santa - he gave without reservation.

God be with you and your family.

We will shoot again one day my friend.

Gene was/is a great ambassador for traditional archery. He was so will to share his knowledge with anyone interested in shooting or bow building.

Gene gave so much to traditional archery in Georgia. One Saturday we were talking about the Tom-a-chee-chee bowman club that used to be in North Georgia. We talked about how he helped them just as much as he did TBG.

He was willing to give of his time, knowledge, and money to further archery. He never seemed to tire answering questions nor did he mind sharing a good story or two about funny things and times spent hunting, fishing or people.

What else can I say that has not already been said about this great man! I can say he was my friend, I will post my pics if I can figure out how! On one of my bows Larry (who was Gene's partner) misspelled Mantis , this upset Gene but I said no problem , think it's kinda cool! I live near Dallas where Gene's shop was located spent many hours with him an never tired of his stories . We have lost a true traditional bowyer !