Gary Leon "Hoot" Sander, son of Norman Lee "Squint" Sander and Thelma Maxine Hurt, was born May 21, 1952 in Fairview, Oklahoma. He passed away on January 21, 2024, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, after a sudden illness.

Gary lived in the Seiling/Chester area all of his life. He attended Seiling Public Schools, graduating with the class of 1971. After high school, he attended college at Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Oklahoma. In 1973, he married Lea Anne Clinesmith, and to this union, a son, David Lee, was born. On January 15, 1977, he married Mechell Darlene Howell, and in 1980, a daughter, Bonni Sue was born. Gary and Mechell made their home on the Sander family farm until 1990, when they moved to their current home north of Chester.

As a young man, Gary worked for his dad at the DX Station. He enjoyed hunting, running the coon dogs with Granddad Fritz, riding motorcycles and racing his cars. He worked for Sander Trucking for many years, driving a truck, and then he later worked for the Seiling Lumber Yard, which became Sander Supply. In the mid 1990s, he left the lumber yard, and went to work doing farming and other odd jobs for family and friends, which he continued to do until his death. Gary was an avid hunter and fisher until his health would no longer allow it. He and Mechell enjoyed traveling and camping together, especially in the mountains of Colorado. He also received great joy from bird watching, whether it was during camping trips or just in his back yard, he loved seeing them coming back each year and having new species join the flock of visitors.

Gary is preceded in death by his parents, Squint and Maxine Sander, his brother Ronnie, his sister Patricia Thompson and her husband Robert, his sister Karen Sue "Susie" Jones, a nephew, Chris Jones, a niece, Rhonda Gayle Sander, his parents-in-law, Dale and Darlene Beaty, and a sister- in-law, Theta Bisel.

Gary is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mechell of the home; his son David Lee Sander of Fayetteville, Arkansas, his daughter Bonni Sue Sidders and husband, Marty, of Alva, Oklahoma; his granddaughters, Madison Lee Davis of Fayetteville, and Bryanna Mechell Sidders and Jasmine Beth TeLinde of Alva; and his great-grandson, Declan Davis of Fayetteville. He is also survived by his sister, Cindy Lou Redinger and husband Wayne, of Chester, his brother-in-law, Ronnie Jones of Thomas, his aunt, Beverly Autrey of Seiling; brother-in-law Michael Ryel and wife Loretta, of Woodward, and sisters-in-law Connie Randall and husband James of Vici, Debbie Nightengale and husband Jon of Bentonville, Donna Hancock and husband Dale of Edmond, Brigette Baird of Woodward, and Cindy Beaty of Oklahoma City, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Services for Gary will be held Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 2:00pm at the Redinger Funeral Home, 105 Gary England Ave., Seiling, Oklahoma, with burial to follow at the Chester Cemetery, north of Chester on County Rd. 54. Visitation will be Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday 9:00am to 7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Chester Cemetery Association, c/o Redinger Funeral Home (Box 236, Seiling, OK 73663).