Jerry Wade Sanders

Jerry Wade Sanders, 73, of Tulsa, OK, was born July 24, 1949, in Tulsa, OK, to Jessie Willie Sanders and Genevieve Bobbie (Smith) Sanders. He passed away November 14, 2022, in Tulsa, OK.

Jerry graduated from Skiatook High School in 1967. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. He worked as a heavy equipment truck driver, then as a salesman for Berendsen Fluid Power of OK until his retirement. He worked hard and looked forward to traveling on his retirement. Jerry was a kind and loving man with a big heart. He loved to make people laugh, and entertain them by playing either the guitar, fiddle, banjo, piano, ukulele, or the drums. Jerry was also in a couple of bands in his younger years traveling around Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. He enjoyed dancing, bowling, and playing 5 crowns, rummy, and dominoes with friends, as well as going to different museums and traveling. He loved trips out west, especially to New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Jerry loved driving his corvette and taking his sweetheart, Sandra Easky on cruises. He also enjoyed riding his motorcycle. Jerry was pretty fond of sweets, especially chocolate and ice cream. Jerry loved spending time with his grandchildren. He would always smile on his outings to the movies, the mall and ball games watching his granddaughter, Journey cheer. He was always happy to see his grandson, Colten too. 

Jerry was happily married to Betty for many years until she passed away in 2017. Jerry was then reunited with, as he would proudly say, “the first girl he ever kissed”, Sandra Easky. They were childhood sweethearts. Jerry and Sandra were able to share 5 wonderful years together. There was no doubt that he loved her, and he was happy. Jerry was a great bonus dad to his stepdaughters, Valerie and Jamie, and a loving Papa to their children. Jerry also formed a special bond with Sandra’s children, Michelle and James, and their children, Cassandra, and Carl. He will be missed tremendously and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

He is survived by his fiancée, Sandra Easky; daughters, Valerie Cates and husband, Larry of Collinsville, Jamie Parchman and husband, Jeremy of Jenks, and Sandra Dawson and husband, Mike of Panama City, FL, and Michelle Powers and husband, Bobby of Skiatook; sons, Samuel Sanders and James Easky of Skiatook; grandchildren, Colten Cates of Collinsville, Ashley Franke of Collinsville, Journey Parchman of Jenks, Jagger Parchman of Jenks, Jackson Parchman of Jenks, Joseph Dawson of Panama City, FL, Cassandra Powers, and Carl Powers; great-grandchildren, Ian Dawson, Palmer Franke, and Finn Franke; sister, Melva Blair of Skiatook; niece, Jennifer Anderson-Getz and husband, Joe; nephew, Jeff Anderson and wife, Leslie; maternal uncle, Richard Fortner; and many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Lorene (Curtis) Sparks-Sanders; parents, Jessie Willie Sanders and Genevieve Sanders; maternal grandparents, Daniel Earl Smith, and Ollie Kate (Outlaw) Smith; maternal uncles, Melvin Smith, Edward Smith, Hugh Smith, Sr., Charles Miller, and James Hudspeth; and maternal aunts, Virginia Sue (Smith) Mitchner, Betty Smith, Margie (Smith) Miller, Margaret (Smith) Miller, Imogene (Smith) Hudspeth, and Ollie Earlene (Smith) Fortner.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonsperry.com.