Like any remodel job, where you start is never where you end up! What started as a simple window and floor replacement has blossomed into a major remodel of the 125-year-old historic building. Shelley Sanders said, “It’s time to show this old building a little love; after all, it has served so many families over the years. And yes we are still able to fully serve your family during our remodel process.”
Arthur Bracken founded Kingfisher Funeral Home in 1899 when Kingfisher was still part of the Oklahoma Indian Territory. In 1905, Mr. Bracken helped establish the Oklahoma Board of Embalmers and personally wrote the By-Laws, most of which are still in use today. He held the first embalmer’s license for the State of Oklahoma, which is still displayed in the foyer at Sanders Funeral Service.
Rusty Sanders relocated his family to Kingfisher in 1967 to begin serving the community as a Funeral Director and Embalmer under Fred Langley. Rusty and Fran quickly fell in love with the small-town values of Kingfisher and chose to raise their family there. In 1978, he purchased the funeral home in downtown Kingfisher, renaming it Sanders Funeral Service.
Growing up in the funeral industry Chad Sanders spent most of his childhood watching his father serve and comfort others during their greatest time of need. He began working alongside his father, Rusty, in high school and completed his Bachelor in Funeral Science at the University of Central Oklahoma, where he became a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in 1991. He trained under his father, learning technical skills and the importance of gaining the respect and trust of the families they served. Chad became a master at funeral science makeup and restorative artwork. You frequently hear the families they serve talk about how amazing their loved ones look when they view them. Chad said, “ Giving families that final closing image of their loved one resting at peace is important to me and something I strive to achieve for every family we serve.
Chad is married to Shelley Sanders, the funeral home office administrator. They raised their children in Kingfisher and now have 6 grandchildren. Shelley has been a registered nurse and paramedic for over 30 years and spent several years of her career working at Kingfisher Regional Hospital and Kingfisher Fire Department. She currently works part-time with nursing students at Chisholm Trail Technology Center.
Sanders Funeral Service is one of Oklahoma’s oldest continually operating funeral homes. Many funeral homes across the nation have been gobbled up by corporate chains moving into rural areas, often claiming to be local when, in fact, they are not. The Sanders are proud to run the only funeral home in Kingfisher owned and operated by a family that has lived in and been deeply engrained in the community for over 57 years. The historic white funeral home in downtown Kingfisher has been serving Kingfisher County for over a century, and we are looking forward to many more.
Sanders Funeral Service offers full-service funerals and cremations. Their newly remodeled chapel can comfortably accommodate large family gatherings. They go the extra mile to ensure that your family members’ Celebration of Life is a true reflection of them.
