I hereby authorize flags be flown at half-staff all day on Saturday, January 31, 2026, on the grounds of the Alabama State Capitol Complex in Montgomery, and in the City of Huntsville and throughout Madison County to honor the life and service of former State Representative James Howard Sanderford, who passed away at the age of 90 on January 7, 2026.

A native of Meridian, Mississippi, Representative Howard Sanderford earned a degree in accounting from Mississippi State University before embarking overseas in service to his country. He was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in the Beirut, Lebanon landing in 1958. Howard spent 26 years working for IBM in Mississippi, New York and Alabama until his retirement in 1987. He founded Computer Leasing Company, Inc. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1989 in a special election, and he served through 2022. Howard believed representing the citizens of Huntsville and Madison County for 34 years was the honor of a lifetime. While in the legislature, his leadership roles included co-chair of the Joint Legislative Sunset Committee, chair of the House Boards, Agencies, and Commissions Committee, and chair of the Alabama Legislative Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement. He served on the Executive Committee of the Southern States Energy Board and represented Alabama on the Executive Board of the Southern Legislative Conference for over 30 years. As a member of the Alabama Space Authority, he helped organize NASA Day held at the State House each year. He was a member of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission, past president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, and past chair of the Madison County Republican Executive Committee. Howard Sanderford was a model citizen and patriot and his legacy of service to Huntsville and Alabama will be long remembered.

The flags on the grounds of the State Capitol Complex in Montgomery, in the City of Huntsville and throughout Madison County, may be flown at half-staff from sunrise through sundown on Saturday, January 31, 2026, the day of former Representative Howard Sanderford’s interment.