Bart Raymond Saunders, aged 59, of Orlando, Florida and Ellicottville, New York, passed away peacefully at home on June 3rd. He was born on November 29th, 1964 in Ridgewood, New Jersey to Mary Jo and Raymond Saunders. At the age of five, he moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, where he spent his childhood and later graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1982.
Bart pursued higher education at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1986. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity where he made many close life-long friends. He went on to obtain his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida in 1989. Bart’s passion for law led him to attend Barry University, where he graduated with a Juris Doctorate cum laude in 2000. During his time at Barry University, he served as an Executive Editor of the Barry Law Review. He became a member of The Florida Bar and was also a member of the Attorneys Title Fund. Bart had a successful career practicing residential and commercial real estate law, handling business disputes and probate cases. He established his own law office, Saunders & Saunders P.A. and made many close friends during his career.
Bart’s love story began when he met his wife, Lisa Saunders (née Mancini), at a luncheon in Orlando. Interestingly, fate brought them together again two months later when they coincidentally dined at the same restaurant. This encounter sparked their relationship, and they were married on November 13, 1993, at the Grand Floridian Resort in Walt Disney World. The location held special significance for both Bart and Lisa, as well as their families. They were married for 30 years and spent many wonderful times together. Together, they had three children: Alexis Grace Saunders, Haley Elizabeth Germain (Kyle), and Sydney Faith Saunders. Bart adored his daughters and cherished the time spent with “his girls”, as well as his family and friends.
In his leisure time, Bart enjoyed sailing in the Tampa Bay Area in Florida and on Lake Chautauqua in New York. He also had a passion for skiing and took pride in watching his daughters compete in skiing and snowboarding events along the East Coast. Additionally, Bart loved spending time outside and with his dogs, Olaf and Sven. He also had great musical talents and found joy in playing the piano and guitar and enjoyed sharing music with others.
Above all else, Bart’s proudest accomplishment in life was the love he had for his family and friends. He was a loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend to many. Bart is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Mary Jo Saunders (Long). He is survived by his wife, three daughters, brother Robert Saunders (Duane), sister Susan Saunders, and nieces and nephews.