Kit Carson Sanders

Kit C. Sanders (89) of Amarillo, Texas and formerly of Hereford, Texas, died on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. 

Kit was the son of the late O. R. and Johnnie Sanders and was born in Floydada, Texas on August 21, 1935. He graduated from Hereford High School in 1954 and West Texas State College in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Commissioned as a Naval Officer, Kit earned his naval aviator wings in 1958. He was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; and Virginia Beach, Virginia and served on the U.S.S. Forestal and America where he made over 850 carrier landings as an A1 and A4 naval aviator. After honorably serving 10 years in the Navy, Kit joined Pan American Airlines as a 707 pilot. In 1993, he retired from Delta Airlines having served as an A300 pilot. During his flying career, he traveled to over 100 countries and logged more than 25,000 flight hours. In his later years, he was a substitute teacher for Amarillo ISD. He was a member of Trinity Fellowship and actively involved with the Senior Adults Living Triumphantly (SALT) group. In his free time, he could often be found punching holes in paper at Let’s Shoot Gun Club or in his garage reloading ammunition. 

Kit is survived by his wife of 62 years, Judy; a sister, Verita Silvertooth of Amarillo; his children Kari George (Wayne) of Stafford, Virginia; Holly Fields (Mike) of El Paso, Texas; Brad Sanders (Paige) of Amarillo, and Wendy Blankenship (Richard) of Amarillo; eight grandchildren, Zach Fields of New York, NY; Hayden Blankenship of Amarillo; Will Fields of Austin, Texas; Hunter Blankenship of Katy, Texas; Hannah Boyett of Amarillo; Carson George of Stafford, Virginia; Peyton Sanders and Parker Sanders of Amarillo. He will be dearly missed by all his family and a host of friends.

Visitation will be held at Boxwell Brothers on Thursday, September 5, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 2:00 pm, at Trinity Fellowship Church Student Ministry Center with Pastor Kyle Wilkinson presiding. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.