Ted Sansberry was born in Kiowa, Kansas, to Mary Gladys and Donaciano Sanchez-Sanberry on July 21, 1930, and passed away on September 14, 2021, at the age of 91.
Ted had two sisters, Helen Louise and Peggy Ruth; five stepbrothers, Doug Brown, Linus, Alex, George, Hank and Andy Sanchez; two stepsisters, Patty and Irene.
Ted was married to Nancy Pantet in 1954. To this union two children were born: Donald Lee and Barbara Jean.
Ted graduated from Kiowa High School in the Class of 1949. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953 in Germany, where he got his start operating heavy equipment. Upon his return he studied at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma, for two years from 1954-1955. Subsequently, he went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad as a heavy equipment operator, serving for almost 20 years. Following his career with the railroad, he returned to the Kiowa, Kansas, area and operated heavy equipment for local earth-moving contractors until his retirement in 1992. He married Rella Morrow Courson in 1979, and they resided in Kiowa until Rella's passing in September 2017. Throughout his life, he had a love of animals, and he and Rella provided a caring home for many dogs who were abandoned or were strays.
Those who preceded Ted in death include his parents, Mary Gladys and Donaciano Sanchez-Sanberry; his son, Donald Lee Sanberry; two sisters, Helen Louise Barton and Peggy Ruth Fitzgerald.
Survivors include his daughter, Barbara Jean Spaight of Enid; five stepbrothers, Doug Brown, Linus, Alex, George, Hank and Andy Sanchez; and two stepsisters, Patty Feazel and Irene Nevitt.
A graveside memorial service will be held in Hazelton, Kansas, at a later date. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Kiowa. Online condolences may be made at http://www.lanmanmemorials.com.