E.C. "Sandy" Sanders

Published courtesy of the Cordell Beacon

© Cordell Beacon

E.C. "Sandy" Sanders, retired restaurant owner and former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, died at his Oklahoma City home Friday, June 28, 2002, after a lengthy illness. He was born July 24, 1920 in Cordell, OK.

He is survived by Ruth, his loving wife of nearly 60 years, his son Edward C. Sanders and wife Sandi, Fort Smith, AR, his daughter Charlotte Sanders, Bethany, and his brother Clifford Sanders, Denver, CO. Also five grandchildren, Susan Sanders Johns and her husband Michael, Little Rock, AR, Elaine Sanders Dlabach and her husband Dr. Jeff Dlabach, Germantown, TN, Rob Strain and his wife Dani, Lewisville, TX, Michael Strain and his wife Tinecia, Norman, Valerie Strain, Bethany, and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents E. C. and Lima Carmen Sanders of Cordell, OK.

A Celebration of Life service was held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 2, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oklahoma City.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, or the American Heart Association.

He graduated from Cordell High School and attended Southwestern State Teachers College.

He married Ruth Baumgart on September 20, 1942 and they owned and operated restaurants in Cordell until they moved to Oklahoma City in 1948. They owned and operated the Uptown Barbecue and Patrick's Steaks and Seafood until retiring in 1974.

Sandy was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1970 and retired in 1986. In 1986, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation named the 18,000-acre wildlife management area in Beckham and Greer Counties the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area.

Beginning in 1994 he was a Docent at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

During his service in the Oklahoma House, he received recognition from a wide variety of organizations, including Legislator of the Year from the Oklahoma Rifle Association and from the Bowhunters of Oklahoma.

He also received a leadership award from the Oklahoma County House of Delegation, an award from the Oklahoma Horsemen's Association for support of the Oklahoma Horse Industry and numerous awards from the American Legion for supporting veteran's programs, including the Carl Albert Award.

He was also recognized by the Oklahoma Psychological Association for distinguished public service, the University Lions Club for outstanding service helping needy children, the Dale Rogers Training Center for support of the mentally handicapped of Oklahoma, and from the Oklahoma State Education Association.

He served as a board member of the Metro Tech and the Parents Assistance Center and was a past president of the Oklahoma City Exchange Club. The Exchange Club also recognized him as the Exchangite of the Year.

He previously served as president of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church Council and for many years led the class on Civics and Religion. For more than 14 years he led a group from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, visiting residents of the Morning Star Nursing Home twice a month.

The Praying Hands sculpture on the grounds of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, updated by sculptor Leanard McMurry, is from a sketch of Sandy's hands drawn by McMurry who was a next door neighbor in Oklahoma City.

Sandy also had been elected to the Cordell City Council where he aided in the improvement of the area water system and the airport.

He was an avid University of Oklahoma Sooner fan and supporter.