Edwin Dale Landers
Edwin Dale Landers
A memorial service for Edwin Dale Landers will be held Friday, November 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church of Okemah with Rev. Brian Matthews, Rev. Pup Rogers and Chancellor Emeritus of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education Glen D. Johnson.
On November 5, 2022 a heavenly reunion occurred Edwin Dale Landers was reunited with Jesus, his parents and the love of his life Barbara. He lived a full and very blessed life. Ed never met a stranger and was always was the life of the party.
Ed was born in Okemah, OK, December 11, 1937; he grew up in Sunrise and Pharoah. He loved spending time on his grandparents’ farm near Sunset, which instilled his hard work values. His willingness to give 110% is what made him the great man he was. He graduated from Okemah High School in 1955, and went to ECU for fun, not an education. He then returned to Okemah and started working with Landers Well Service. Soon after that, he met the love of his life, Barbara; they were married in June 26, 1959. Ed was the last person Chivalried in Okemah. He often talked about being pushed down Main Street in a wheelbarrow. He was in the Jaycee’s and loved growing a beard to stay out of jail during Pioneer day’s week. Okemah held a special place in Ed’s heart. He never wanted to leave and loved living on the hill.
In 1981, Ed and John Waldman started Landers and Waldman in Davenport, OK. They had great success in oil exploration. Ed’s oilfield knowledge was unprecedented; he could get a barrel of oil from a Kelly hole.
Ed loved to play hard, he loved being at the lake, water skiing, and boating; even though Barbara tried to run him over with a boat. The number of people he taught to water ski was probably in the 100s. Family time at Lake Tenkiller was always lots of fun. We always said Ed would much rather sit and talk, on the dock, than get stuff unloaded. Ed loved talking with people, and if you talked to him more than 5 minutes you were probably laughing.
Ed was a member of the Oklahoma State University chain crew from 1960 till 2015. He always liked being right in the middle of all the action on the sidelines. His mornings in Okemah always started at the coffee shop with his coffee buddies, they thought they could solve all the world’s problems. He loved playing moon at the golf course and he always wanted to make the “Super Bowl”.
Ed and Barbara loved to travel especially cruises. They both enjoyed seeing new places, meeting people, and all the food. Working in Glen Johnson’s campaigns took up lots of time every other year. He even came up with the slogan “Win with Glen”.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years Barbara, his parents Virgil and Elva Landers, He is survived by his Sister, Paula Landers Whiteis of Tulsa, Daughter, Shelli Landers Watts of The Colony, TX, Son, Michael Landers, Tulsa, Granddaughter Bailey Watts, The Colony, TX.
Services will be under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Okemah, Oklahoma.