Darrell Francis Saunders Jr., MD, 73, of Morgantown, passed away Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at his residence. He was born Sept. 29, 1949, in Morgantown, the son of the late Darrell Francis Saunders Sr. and Dorothy Jane Goff Saunders.
Darrell is survived by his best friend and husband, John B. White; sister, Dianne (Darl) Nuce, of Morgantown; nephew, Phillip (Courtney) Nuce, of Fairmont; niece, Shannon (Eddie) Austin, of Morgantown; great-nephew, Tavien Nuce, and girlfriend, Nataleigh Bower, of Fairmont; great-nieces, Nevaeh Austin, of Morgantown and Carmen Nuce, of Fairmont; and close friends, Michael St. Clair, of Morgantown, Mary Lou Deaner and Mary Ann Tokarz, of Morgantown and Richard “Doc” Harner, of Morgantown.
Darrell grew up in Morgantown and graduated from Morgantown High School. He went on to attend West Virginia University, where he took and passed the medical school entrance exam before graduating from undergraduate studies and subsequently graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He did his residency work at West Virginia University, a fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, an internship at St. Louis University Group Hospital, St. Louis, Mo. and an externship at San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco. He returned home to start the first private oncology practice in Morgantown and what would become a forty-two-year career of practicing medicine, specifically oncology at Morgantown Internal Medicine Group, Mon Health Medical Center and Mon Health Systems. Darrell and his business partner, Dr. Charles Beall, started the Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Center Oncology Clinic. The clinic specializes in breast cancer, a cause he fought hard for and made an immeasurable impact on many people and the community.
Traveling the world in his free time was something he truly enjoyed. A few of his favorite destinations were Australia, Ireland and Canada. He touched many lives along the way and will be greatly missed.
A gathering to remember Darrell will be at Dering-Henson Funeral Home from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, March 31, and at Spruce Street United Methodist Church from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 1, with a memorial celebration of life at 11 a.m. officiated by Pastor Rose Saunders and the Rev. Bart Thompson.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Darrell Saunders Mammography Fund or the Angel Fund to support patients treated at Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Center. Please direct donations to the Mon Health Foundation, 1200 JD Anderson Dr., Morgantown, WV 26505, or online at www.monhealth.com/donate.
Dering-Henson Funeral Home is providing caring services.
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