William Ray "Willie" Sanders

William “Willie” Ray Sanders was called home on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at the age of 74 at his home in Broken Arrow, OK. Willie was born on July 19, 1948 in Coweta, OK and was the son of Ervie William Sanders and Edith Marie (Todd) Dodson. He attended Coweta Public Schools. Willie was a veteran of the Marine Corps. Willie had a tremendous love for life and on most pretty days you would find him in his car. He got to drive a semi around the country for a few years and developed a love for it. He would ask anybody around “wanna go for a ride?” Most times he didn’t get a passenger, but he didn’t care he would rather be behind the steering wheel than watching the “boob tube”. He would stop at people’s houses he knew to just say hey, smoke a cigarette, and then right back on the road. He never sat long while visiting, always had “ants in his pants” unless he was fishing or gambling. Maybe and most likely his most loved past time was fishing, catching crappie with Dugan on the river, catching tilapia in the canals in Arizona, or catching catfish with his nephews on the lake, he loved having a line wet. He would tell stories of walking dozens of miles while fishing dozens of ponds growing up around Coweta.

Willie is survived by his sisters, Barbara Lewis and husband Larry of Wagoner, OK, Norma Ferrell and Will Kilgore of Coweta, OK, Sherri Killion and husband Mark of Broken Arrow, OK, and Leslie Clark of Broken Arrow, OK; his step-brothers, Bill Campbell of Tulsa, OK, Kenneth Campbell and wife Annette of Wagoner, OK, Leon Dodson and family; his step-sisters, Phyllis Ballard and husband Scott of Missouri, Peggy Hicks and husband Gary of Texas, and Kathy Castillo of Texas; his half-brother, Gary Sanders and wife Laura of Missouri; his half-sister, Lynda Waddington and husband James of Iowa; his companion, Carolyn Heath and her family; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, and many other family members and friends.

Willie was preceded in death by his father, E.W. Sanders and wife Neta Sanders; his mother, Edith (Todd) Dodson and husband Elmer Dodson; his nephew, James William Coday; his step-brother, Jimmy Campbell; and step-sisters, Joyce Dodson and Teri Lynn Sanders.

A memorial service celebrating Willie’s life will be at 2:00 PM on Monday, March 27, 2023 at Brown Funeral Home Chapel in Coweta, OK with Rev. Ed Rutherford officiating.

Family and friends may share memories online at www.brownfamilycares.com. The family of William “Willie” Ray Sanders entrusted his care, cremation, and service to Brown Funeral Home & Cremations, 210 S. Broadway, Coweta, OK 74429, 918-486-5515.