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Colonel Sanders

Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980), known as Colonel Sanders, was an American businessman and restaurateur who founded the fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).^[1]^[2] Born on a farm near Henryville, Indiana, Sanders developed his famous secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices for fried chicken in the 1930s while operating a roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky.^[2]^[3] He began franchising the business in 1952, starting with the first outlet in Salt Lake City, Utah, and by 1964 had expanded to over 600 locations before selling the company for $2 million.^[1]^[2] Sanders' early life was marked by hardship; after his father's death when he was six, he took on cooking responsibilities for his family and left home at age 12 to work various jobs, including as a farmhand, streetcar conductor, railroad fireman, and insurance salesman.^[1]^[2] In 1930, at age 40, he opened a service station in Corbin where he began serving fried chicken, initially using a pressure cooker to speed up preparation—a method he perfected by 1939.^[2]^[3] In 1935, Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffoon commissioned him as a Kentucky Colonel in recognition of his culinary contributions, an honorary title he embraced as part of his persona.^[1] Despite his success, Sanders faced challenges, including a 1930s shootout with a business rival that resulted in no charges against him and later lawsuits against KFC in the 1970s over recipe quality, which he settled for $1 million.^[3] After selling the company, he remained a prominent figurehead, traveling to promote the brand until his death from pneumonia, a complication of leukemia, in Louisville, Kentucky, at age 90.^[1]^[4] His image as the white-suited, goateed Colonel became an enduring icon for KFC, symbolizing Southern hospitality and entrepreneurial grit.^[2]

Early life

1890–1906: Childhood and family

Harland David Sanders was born on September 9, 1890, in the small rural community of Henryville, Indiana, to Wilbur David Sanders and Margaret Ann Dunleavy Sanders. His father worked as a farmer to support the family, which included Harland and his two younger siblings, sister Margaret and brother Milton. The Sanders family resided on a modest farm, where life revolved around agricultural labor and the challenges of rural existence in late 19th-century America.^[5]^[6] Tragedy struck early when Wilbur Sanders died suddenly from a fever in 1895, leaving five-year-old Harland as the eldest child in a fatherless household. With Margaret taking a job at a local tomato cannery to make ends meet, young Harland assumed significant responsibilities, including cooking meals for his siblings using basic recipes from his mother's guidance. This period instilled in him an early sense of self-reliance amid financial hardship and emotional loss, shaping his formative years in a struggling rural environment.^[7]^[8] In 1902, when Harland was 12, his mother remarried William Broaddus, a local man, and the family relocated to a farm near Greenwood, Indiana, about 20 miles north of their previous home. The remarriage introduced tensions, as Harland developed deep resentment toward his stepfather, whom he viewed as harsh and abusive; the two often clashed, exacerbating family discord. To ease the burden on his mother and siblings, Harland continued assisting with household cooking, honing rudimentary skills that would later influence his culinary path. His formal education, limited to local one-room schools, ended after the seventh grade in 1903, as economic pressures demanded he contribute more directly to the family's livelihood.^[9]^[10] A pivotal event occurred in 1903, at age 13, when escalating conflicts with his stepfather prompted Harland to run away from home. He secured employment as a farmhand on a nearby farm in the Greenwood area, marking his first step toward independence from the family dynamics that had defined his childhood. This move reflected the harsh realities of rural Indiana life, where early labor was common, and it further reinforced Sanders' resourcefulness amid ongoing familial instability.^[10]^[11]

1906–1920: Adolescence and early independence

At the age of 16 in 1906, Harland Sanders left his family home in Indiana with his mother's approval to live with his uncle in New Albany, Indiana, where he initially worked as a farmhand and painter before securing employment as a streetcar conductor through his uncle's connections at the local transportation company.^[7]^[12] In October 1906, Sanders falsified his age to enlist in the U.S. Army, serving as a wagoner in Cuba and earning an honorable discharge in February 1907 upon discovery of his true age, along with the Cuban Pacification Medal.^[1] Sanders married Josephine King on September 15, 1908, in Jasper, Alabama, at the age of 18; the couple went on to have three children—daughter Margaret (born 1910), son Harland Jr. (born 1912, who died in a car accident in 1932 at age 20), a stillborn son (1917), and daughter Mildred (born 1919).^[9]^[7]^[13] Following the shooting, Sanders relocated to Alabama and took jobs with the Southern Railway as a blacksmith's helper and later as a fireman on the Illinois Central Railroad, though his employment there ended in 1912 after another altercation with a coworker.^[14]^[7] In 1912, at age 22, Sanders moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he pursued a self-taught legal career by studying through a correspondence course, passing the bar exam, and serving as a justice of the peace in Justice, Arkansas, for about three years.^[15] His brief tenure in law ended abruptly in 1916 following a physical altercation with a client during a courtroom proceeding, which damaged his professional reputation despite his acquittal on assault charges.^[15] After leaving the legal field, Sanders worked as an insurance salesman for the Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co. in Little Rock, but his role there was short-lived due to ongoing conflicts with superiors.^[7]^[14] By 1916, strains in Sanders' marriage had intensified amid his job instability and frequent relocations, leading Josephine to leave him and return to her parents in Alabama with their children.^[11] The couple formally separated around 1920, though they did not divorce until 1947; this period marked Sanders' transition into further occupational shifts, reflecting a pattern of early adult independence fraught with challenges.^[16]^[9]

Career development

1920–1940: Diverse occupations and move to Kentucky

In 1920, at age 30, Harland Sanders established a ferry boat company that operated a steamboat service across the Ohio River between Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky.^[3] This venture proved successful initially, providing steady income until the construction of a nearby bridge rendered the ferry obsolete, forcing Sanders to seek new opportunities.^[3] After the ferry closed, Sanders worked briefly as an insurance salesman. In the early 1920s, he relocated to Kentucky for a fresh start, first working as a salesman for the Michelin Tire Company in Winchester.^[17] His tenure there ended abruptly in 1924 when the company closed its New Jersey manufacturing plant, leaving him unemployed.^[17] Shortly thereafter, Sanders met the general manager of Standard Oil of Kentucky, who hired him to manage a service station in Nicholasville, where he demonstrated strong sales skills by earning a small profit per gallon of gasoline sold.^[17] In 1930, Sanders moved to Corbin, Kentucky, and took over a Shell gas station along the busy U.S. Route 25, a key thoroughfare for travelers heading north to Lexington.^[2] To attract customers and supplement income, he began preparing and serving home-cooked meals, drawing in truck drivers and motorists with simple Southern dishes like fried chicken.^[2] This side business quickly gained popularity, prompting Sanders to expand the station into a modest 42-seat diner adjacent to the pumps, capitalizing on the steady traffic from the highway.^[3] The period was marked by intense competition and volatility. In 1931, a dispute escalated into a shootout at Sanders' station when rival gas station owner Matt Stewart painted over one of Sanders' advertising signs on a nearby wall; during the confrontation, Shell employee Robert Gibson was fatally shot by Stewart, while Sanders wounded Stewart in return.^[18] Stewart was convicted of murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison, though Sanders faced no charges.^[18] Such incidents underscored the cutthroat environment of roadside businesses in rural Kentucky. The Great Depression exacerbated financial strains, with fluctuating gas prices and reduced travel threatening foreclosure on Sanders' properties.^[19] In response, he pivoted toward full-time food service, relying on the diner's growing reputation for reliable, affordable meals to sustain his family and operations through the economic hardship.^[19]

1940–1952: Hospitality ventures and recipe innovation

In 1930, Harland Sanders opened a service station in Corbin, Kentucky, where he began serving home-cooked meals to travelers using an old family dining table, initially focusing on country ham and steaks before adding fried chicken to the menu.^[3] By 1937, he had established the 142-seat Harland Sanders Cafe across the street from the station, expanding his operations to cater to the growing traffic along U.S. Route 25.^[20] This development marked Sanders' transition from roadside service to a dedicated hospitality venture, drawing truck drivers, tourists, and locals with family-style Southern fare including fried chicken, country ham, mashed potatoes, and hot biscuits served continuously around the clock.^[21] Around 1939, Sanders perfected his signature fried chicken recipe, blending 11 herbs and spices to create a flavorful coating that set his offerings apart from standard preparations.^[3] Initially, the chicken was pan-fried in skillets, a process that took over 30 minutes per batch and limited service speed during peak hours.^[22] In 1940, seeking efficiency, Sanders adopted a commercial pressure fryer—the first of its kind for his business—which reduced cooking time to about 9 minutes while sealing in juices and enhancing tenderness, allowing him to serve larger volumes without compromising quality.^[22] This innovation, combined with the secret spice mix, became the cornerstone of his culinary reputation and was prepared fresh in the cafe's kitchen. The cafe's popularity surged in the late 1930s and through World War II, as wartime travel and rationing challenges still drew crowds seeking reliable, hearty meals, with Sanders' establishment serving thousands of customers daily by the mid-1940s.^[21] Its acclaim was bolstered by inclusion in Duncan Hines' Adventures in Good Eating starting in 1939, where it was recommended as "a very good place to stop en route to Cumberland Falls and the Great Smokies," praising the sizzling steaks, fried chicken, country ham, and hot biscuits.^[21] In recognition of this regional success, Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffoon commissioned Sanders as an honorary Kentucky Colonel in 1935, an honor reflecting his contributions to the state's hospitality industry.^[3] Despite these achievements, Sanders faced significant setbacks, including a devastating fire in 1939 that destroyed the original cafe and part of the adjacent motel.^[22] He rebuilt the complex, reopening the expanded Harland Sanders Cafe and Sanders Court motel on July 4, 1940, with added amenities like a model motel room to attract overnight guests.^[20] Further challenges arose in 1949 when a bypass of U.S. Route 25 diverted traffic away from Corbin, sharply reducing customer flow and forcing Sanders to relocate the cafe to a new site closer to remaining patrons.^[21] These obstacles tested his resilience but underscored his commitment to refining his recipe and hospitality model amid evolving road travel demands.

Founding and growth of KFC

1952–1964: Franchising and national expansion

In 1952, Harland Sanders, known as Colonel Sanders, signed his first franchise agreement with Pete Harman, a restaurateur in Salt Lake City, Utah, granting Harman the rights to use Sanders' name, secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, and pressure-frying method in exchange for a fee of four cents per chicken sold. This pioneering deal marked the birth of the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise system, allowing independent restaurant owners to add the fried chicken offering to their menus while adhering to Sanders' precise preparation standards. The agreement emphasized quality consistency, with Sanders providing initial training to ensure the product matched his Corbin, Kentucky, original.^[23]^[24] By 1955, the franchise network had expanded to include a dozen locations as Sanders traveled extensively across the United States to recruit partners and demonstrate his cooking techniques. That year, he incorporated the business as Kentucky Fried Chicken in Corbin, Kentucky, formalizing the operation and shifting headquarters there to centralize spice distribution and support for growing franchisees. Sanders personally oversaw standardization by supplying detailed cookbooks outlining the recipe and methods, conducting on-site training sessions, and making unannounced visits to enforce adherence, often critiquing deviations to maintain the brand's reputation for fresh, flavorful chicken.^[25]^[26] The chain's national expansion accelerated in the late 1950s, driven by Sanders' relentless promotion and the appeal of his pressure-fried product, which cooked faster than traditional methods. Early marketing efforts included the adoption of the slogan "It's finger-lickin' good" in 1956, coined informally during a franchisee's customer interaction and quickly embraced to highlight the irresistible taste. Challenges arose in enforcing recipe secrecy, as Sanders guarded the blend of herbs and spices closely, requiring franchisees to purchase pre-mixed seasonings from him and facing occasional attempts to replicate the formula. In 1964, Sanders sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and including Jack C. Massey, whose business acumen helped scale the operation to over 600 outlets across the United States and Canada following the sale.^[27]^[25]^[26]

1964–1980: Company sale and brand ambassadorship

In 1964, at the age of 73, Harland Sanders sold the Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey for $2 million, equivalent to approximately $20 million in 2025 dollars. As part of the deal, Sanders retained a lifetime salary of $40,000 annually, along with stock in the company, allowing him to step back from day-to-day operations while maintaining a financial stake. This sale enabled rapid corporate growth under the new ownership, but Sanders transitioned into a more ceremonial role as the brand's roving ambassador, traveling to franchises to endorse the product and ensure adherence to his vision.^[28]^[29]^[25] Following the sale, Sanders grew increasingly dissatisfied with management decisions aimed at accelerating service and reducing costs, particularly the shift to using pre-made canned gravy around the mid-1960s, which he believed compromised the dish's authenticity and flavor. He publicly criticized the changes during unannounced visits to outlets, describing the gravy as "sludge" with a "wallpaper taste" and expressing frustration over the overall decline in quality. These remarks escalated tensions, leading to legal disputes; in 1973, Sanders sued the company's parent firm, Heublein Inc., alleging misuse of his image in promotions, while in 1975, Heublein countersued him for libel and defamation based on his comments to a Louisville newspaper. The libel suit against Sanders was dismissed by a Kentucky court later that year, ruling in his favor and affirming his right to voice opinions on the product he created. The disputes were ultimately settled out of court in 1975, with Heublein paying Sanders $1 million.^[30]^[31]^[32]^[33] Amid these conflicts and a broader sales slump in the 1970s due to market saturation and competition, KFC sought to leverage Sanders' iconic status to revitalize the brand. In 1975, he was formally appointed as the official ambassador, appearing in a series of television advertisements where he demonstrated the cooking process, praised the "real goodness" of the chicken, and embodied the company's folksy heritage—dressed in his signature white suit, black string tie, and goatee. These ads, featuring Sanders in relatable settings like franchise kitchens, helped reconnect the brand with its origins and contributed to stabilizing sales during the decade's challenges.^[25] Sanders also played a key role in overseeing international expansion post-sale, with KFC entering new markets such as the United Kingdom in 1965, Australia in 1968, and Japan in 1970, building on earlier forays into Canada that dated back to the 1950s. He conducted global promotional tours, visiting outlets abroad to train staff, sign autographs, and promote the menu, which enhanced brand recognition worldwide and supported the chain's growth to over 6,000 locations by 1980. Throughout this period, Sanders remained involved in recipe oversight, exerting pressure on quality control through his ambassadorial inspections and consultations, even as his influence waned toward the end of the decade due to advancing age.^[34]^[25]^[30]

Personal life and public persona

Family and relationships

Sanders married Josephine King in 1909 at the age of 18, and the couple settled initially in Alabama where their first child, daughter Margaret Josephine, was born in 1910.^[35] They had two more children: son Harland David Jr. in 1912 and daughter Mildred Marie in 1919.^[36] The family faced hardships, including frequent moves tied to Sanders' early jobs, which strained their finances and led to a separation in 1920; the marriage formally ended in divorce in 1947 after years of ongoing difficulties.^[16] The Sanders children grew up amid their father's varied pursuits, with Margaret later taking on administrative duties in the early operations of the family cafe in Corbin, Kentucky, while Mildred assisted in daily tasks. Harland Jr.'s death in 1932 at age 20 from blood poisoning following a tonsillectomy deeply affected the family, exacerbating tensions in the marriage. Sanders maintained relationships with his daughters and their families in later years, including grandchildren who occasionally visited the Corbin home. In 1949, Sanders married Claudia Ledington Price, a longtime employee and widow whom he had met in the 1930s when she worked as a cashier at his Sanders Court & Cafe in Corbin.^[37] The couple formed a blended family, with Claudia bringing two children from her previous marriage and supporting Sanders' three. Claudia played a key role in managing the Corbin cafe, where the family lived in attached quarters above the restaurant, and contributed to early menu development, including side dishes like her renowned breaded tomatoes that complemented the fried chicken recipes.^[38] Their partnership endured until Sanders' death, with Claudia handling much of the cafe's operations during his travels to promote franchising in the 1950s and 1960s. After selling KFC in 1964, the couple relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where they enjoyed a more settled life, though Sanders remained active as the brand's ambassador. Claudia provided steadfast support during his final years, particularly after his 1980 leukemia diagnosis, until his passing that December; she survived him by 16 years, dying in 1996 at age 94.^[37]

Personality, honors, and image

Harland Sanders exhibited a temperamental disposition in his early years, marked by several physical confrontations that highlighted his combative nature. In 1931, while managing a Shell gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, Sanders engaged in a shootout with rival competitor Matt Stewart, who had repeatedly vandalized Sanders' advertising signs; during the altercation, Stewart fatally shot one of Sanders' employees, prompting Sanders to fire back in self-defense and wound Stewart, who was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison, while Sanders faced no charges.^[18] Earlier, during his brief stint as a justice of the peace in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the early 1920s, Sanders' legal career ended abruptly after he became involved in a courtroom brawl with a client. These incidents underscored a fiery temperament that contrasted sharply with the avuncular, grandfatherly persona he cultivated later in life as KFC's ambassador. Sanders received several notable honors recognizing his entrepreneurial spirit and contributions to Kentucky. In 1935, Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffoon commissioned him as an honorary Kentucky Colonel for his growing local popularity through his successful Corbin cafe. This title was renewed in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby, affirming Sanders' growing stature in the state.^[5] In 1965, he was awarded the Horatio Alger Award by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, honoring his rise from humble beginnings to business success through perseverance.^[10] Sanders' public image evolved from a local Southern gentleman to a global icon of folksy Americana. Following his initial Kentucky Colonel commission in 1935, he embraced the role by adopting signature white suits and a black string tie during his cafe and early franchising days, projecting an air of dignified hospitality. By the 1970s, as KFC's brand ambassador after selling the company, he refined this look further by growing and dyeing a white goatee to match his suits, enhancing his appeal in television advertisements and solidifying his status as the chain's enduring mascot.^[39] In interviews, Sanders presented a plain-spoken, folksy personality rooted in values of hard work and Christian faith, often crediting divine guidance for his late-life success.^[39] He abstained from alcohol and smoking throughout his life, aligning with his mother's strict Christian upbringing that emphasized moral discipline.^[40] Sanders also demonstrated philanthropic inclinations through consistent tithing to churches, viewing it as an expression of gratitude for his blessings.^[41]

Final years and legacy

Health, death, and immediate aftermath

In the 1970s, Colonel Sanders faced health challenges that began to limit his extensive promotional travels for KFC. By June 1980, he was diagnosed with acute leukemia during a hospital stay for pneumonia, which marked the beginning of his terminal decline.^[42] This condition, combined with ongoing respiratory issues, required oxygen therapy and medications, significantly curtailing his once-vigorous schedule of visiting restaurants worldwide.^[43] Sanders made what would be his final major public appearance at KFC's 50th anniversary celebration in 1980, where he reflected on the company's origins despite his weakening health.^[44] His condition worsened later that year, leading to readmission to Louisville Jewish Hospital on November 7 for kidney and bladder infections, followed by a severe bout of pneumonia that proved fatal.^[4] He died on December 16, 1980, at the age of 90, with the immediate cause listed as pneumonia aggravated by leukemia.^[43] Following his death, Sanders' body lay in state at KFC's headquarters in Louisville, where an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 mourners, including company executives, paid their respects.^[45] His funeral service on December 20 at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary drew hundreds of attendees, among them KFC officials and local dignitaries, honoring him as a pioneering figure in the fast-food industry.^[46] He was buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky, in his signature white suit and black string tie, under a granite headstone featuring a bust designed by his daughter Margaret.^[47] Immediate tributes highlighted Sanders' transformative role in American cuisine, with media outlets like The Washington Post eulogizing him as the "Fried-Chicken Gentleman" who built a global empire from a roadside recipe.^[4] KFC outlets across the U.S. observed moments of silence, reflecting the company's mourning for its iconic founder.^[48] His widow, Claudia Sanders, maintained ties to the brand's heritage after his passing, continuing to promote the original fried chicken recipe through her namesake dinner house in Shelbyville, Kentucky, which she had opened in 1968 and which used the family's traditional methods.^[37]

Enduring impact on KFC and culture

Sanders' likeness remains the cornerstone of KFC's branding, with the company's logo featuring a stylized portrait of him since the 1990s redesign, which simplified the design to emphasize his iconic headshot in a clean, monochrome style. This visual enduringly ties the brand to its founder, even decades after his death. KFC perpetuates his legacy through annual birthday celebrations on September 9, including the "Annual Acts of Colonel-ness" initiative, where global teams engage in community service and promotional events inspired by his values of generosity and hospitality. The brand's expansion to over 147 countries and territories as of 2024 amplifies this recognition, making Sanders a universally identifiable figure in fast food. In 2024, KFC surpassed 30,000 restaurants worldwide.^[49] Sanders' innovations profoundly shaped the fast-food landscape. In 1939, he pioneered pressure-frying chicken using a modified pressure cooker, slashing cooking time from 35 minutes to just eight while locking in flavor and moisture—a technique that became standard in the industry and enabled scalable, consistent preparation. His franchising approach, launched in 1952 with the first outlet in Utah, transformed regional Southern fried chicken into a national phenomenon, growing to over 600 locations by 1964 and demonstrating a low-capital model for rapid expansion that influenced subsequent chains. This blueprint helped elevate fried chicken from a home-cooked Southern staple to an accessible American comfort food. Throughout his life, Sanders demonstrated a strong commitment to philanthropy, donating substantially to causes close to his heart, including Shriners Hospitals for Children, where he and his family provided significant support for pediatric care. He also contributed to United Way campaigns and various Baptist churches, reflecting his personal faith and community ties. After his death in 1980, the KFC Foundation established the Colonel's Scholars program in 1998, inspired by Sanders' impromptu scholarship award to a struggling college student he encountered hitchhiking; the initiative has since distributed over $20 million in aid to restaurant employees pursuing education as of 2024. Sanders' persona permeates American popular culture as an archetype of resilient entrepreneurship, embodying the "late bloomer" narrative of achieving success after age 65 through sheer determination. His image has inspired parodies and homages in media, such as KFC's 2019 CGI campaign reimagining him as a hipster influencer to satirize modern trends while nodding to his folksy origins. In 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame for his contributions to business innovation. In the 1970s, Sanders ventured into novelty music, releasing promotional records that captured his down-home charm, including Christmas compilation albums like Christmas Eve with Colonel Sanders (1968, with tracks extending into holiday promotions through the decade) and jingles featured in KFC commercials, such as the 1976 spot where he personally endorsed the brand's finger-lickin' appeal. These efforts, often tied to RCA Victor releases, blended his Southern persona with lighthearted tunes to reinforce KFC's family-oriented image.

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Jul 26, 2011 · Until he passed away in 1980 at the age of 90, the Colonel still traveled 250,000 miles a year visiting KFC restaurants around the world. There ...
[43]
Col. Sanders, the Fried-Chicken Gentleman, Dies
Dec 17, 1980 · Harland Sanders was born on a farm near Henryville, Ind., on Sept. 9, 1890. His father died when he was 5 and his mother went to work. Col ...
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https://www.restaurantnews.com/kfc-chronicles-the-colonel-sanders-legacy/
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Hundreds of mourners gathered today for the funeral of... - UPI
Dec 20, 1980 · Hundreds of mourners gathered today for the funeral of Col. Harland Sanders, the cherry-cheeked, white-whiskered founder of Kentucky Fried ...
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Cave Hill Cemetery Map
Colonel Harland Sanders - Section 33 Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken empire. His monument, which includes a bronze bust designed by his daughter Margaret ...
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On this day: KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders passes away
Dec 16, 2019 · Colonel Harland Sanders lost his battle with leukaemia on this day in 1980, leaving behind a global restaurant franchise that he had grown to despise.