David Sanders

David Ray Sanders was born in Gatesville, TX September 29, 1955, to William Foster Sanders and Winnie Thyrel Sessums Sanders, and died October 14th, 2025 at his home surrounded by his family.
The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, 025 at the Chaney Harkins Funeral Home Chapel.
David had 6 brothers, and 1 sister. As a child he lived in Killeen, Texas and California until later moving to west Texas where he farmed and ranched with his parents and even helped to run a peach orchard. He told many a tale of crossing sections of land on the ranches his parents managed to hunt, fish and explore. When he was in Junior High, he moved to Big Lake, Texas. That is where he met his wife of almost 51 years. They met the summer of 1972 and married October 24, 1974. He and his wife raised four daughters and lovingly remembered a son who was lost at birth. He was blessed with 11 grandchildren and one great grandson.
As an adult he worked in the oil and gas industry as a roughneck, a roustabout, on a pulling unit, as an industrial mechanic and later made a career in the wireline industry retiring as a General Manager. Following the "boom", he and his family moved around a lot making many lifelong friends along the way. His family was important to him and summer vacations were spent travelling to visit his parents or siblings enjoying activities like camping, running trot lines or a friendly game of softball. He was a competitive man and loved a good race against his brother Lou down a busy Dallas, Texas road.
A father of four daughters he taught them to shoot a gun, to hunt and fish, to check their oil and change a tire, to back a trailer or fix a leaky faucet. He was a man of natural intelligence and skill. The kind of guy you called to ask how to fix something or build something. A DIYer before DIY was a thing. He was a good cook both in the kitchen or on the grill. He loved a good flea market and was a collector of antiques.
During his children's school years at Savanna, he became involved with the FFA booster club, attended many sporting events and tolerated many sleep-overs. A manly man who spent his life in a house full of females never knowing if he may wake up on a Saturday morning to painted toenails. (Which he would later scrape off with a pocket knife) He watched his daughters grow and marry, and he became a father and a great friend to his sons-in-law.
He enjoyed time with his grandchildren teaching them things in the outdoors or instigating a good "dog pile" in the living room floor; on hands and knees throwing children off his back as they attacked over and over. He was a fan of all of their activities attending numerous dance recitals, stock shows, basketball games, football games and boy scout events. After his retirement, he became their official part-time chauffer. To his children and grandchildren, he always seemed indestructible. He was "dad" and "papa" to many. He would help anybody with anything.
David is survived by his wife, Gail Sanders of the home; brother Lou Bowen and wife Catrina of Sachse, Texas; daughters: Misty Souther and husband Stanton of Eufaula Oklahoma, Amanda pace and husband Brandon of Lebanon, Tennessee, Abra Sanders and partner Tim Mittag of Riviera, Texas, Lacey Zepeda and husband Wilson of Alderson, Oklahoma; grandchildren: Kyndle Souther and fiance Damonte Nichols of McAlester, Oklahoma, Senior Airman Hayden Souther of Navarre, Florida, Foster Levy and wife Baleigh Ft Gibson, Oklahoma, DEP Member Holden Ievy, Olivia Doyle and Blu Pace of Lebanon, Tennessee, Brazden Everett of McAlester Oklahoma, Jameson and Jonah Mittag of Riviera, Texas, Raylynn Earhart and Iliana Zepeda of Alderson, Oklahoma; and great grandson Daxton Nichols of McAlester, Oklahoma; along with numerous nieces and nephews, and other family and friends.
David was preceded in death by his infant son, David Ray Sanders, II; father, William Sanders; mother, Winnie Sanders; brothers: Robert Sanders, William Sanders, Thomas Bowen, and Roy Sanders; and sister, Peggy Raper.
Stories have been told far and wide about "Dave". They will continue to be. He will be greatly missed. The man, the myth, the legend.