DESOTO, Texas — Former DeSoto City Councilmember James Zander and his wife Linda Zander both died on Monday night due to COVID-19.
State Rep. Carl Sherman, who represents the area in the Texas legislature, shared in a tweet Tuesday that the couple "be remembered for their service to the community, and commitment to the city of DeSoto."
"My prayers are with their loved ones at this time," Sherman said.
The city of DeSoto also remembered the couple's contributions in a statement posted to its Facebook page late Tuesday night.
"We are a better city because of them and we are less without them," the statement said. "May they both rest in peace."
James Zander was the driving force behind a number of improvements in his time on council, including to schools and parks and in helping attract new business. But friends say that his wife Linda was his motivation.
Whether it was investing their own time and money in schools or taking responsibility for racial relations, becoming the first white members of a Black church, James and Linda Zander loved the city.
Marcus King, the senior pastor at Disciple Central, shared on Facebook that he was James' pastor. He wanted to note how it's important to "thank God for each moment and the people you know care about you."
"We would not be as good as we are without James," King said.
He said he had texted James last week while he and Linda both were in the ICU with COVID-19 to let him know he was praying for them.
James had replied on Dec. 15 to tell him "there is nothing more powerful than prayers."
For everyone in the community, it wasn't the couple's community involvement that will be the biggest loss, it's their friendship.
"She was such a warm and giving person," said King.
The Zanders are proof that we need great leaders, but we need great people even more.