David Sanders, 45, husband of Michelle (Ryther) Sanders, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, at the Central Texas Veterans Medical Center in Temple, Texas.

James David Sanders was born May 11, 1970, in Ada, Oklahoma, the son of James Richard and Janet (Jones) Sanders. He graduated from Wynnewood, Oklahoma High School and attended Oklahoma State University on a football scholarship. He graduated with a BS degree in Bovine Science. Following graduation, David served with the United States Army at Ft. Drum, New York, where he was deployed to Somalia and Haiti before his discharge in 1996. He returned to Oklahoma where he worked in plastics factory, and where his son, Zachary Sanders was born. He met his future wife, Michelle Lynn Ryther in Texas after moving there to work on a horse ranch. They were married on May 31, 2003, at the Christ Episcopal Church in Austin, Minnesota. In 2004, they moved to Welch, Minnesota, where Dave worked for Cannon Falls Trailer Sales. They returned to Texas in 2013, due to Dave’s health concerns. He loved watching football games, playing golf and NASCAR. The couple bred and raised quarter horses, as well as showed them at many horse shows.

David is survived by his wife, Michelle Sanders of Hewitt, Texas; his son, Zachary Sanders of Wynnewood, Oklahoma; his father James Sanders of Wynnewood, Oklahoma; his mother Janet Lawson of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma; a sister, Danica Lott of Jeffersonville, Indiana; a brother, William Sanders of McAlester, Oklahoma; his mother-in-law, Ruth Klitzke of Austin and father-in-law, Bill Ryther of Austin; as well as many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015, at Christ Episcopal Church in Austin, Minnesota, with the Rev. Catherine Lemons officiating. Interment with Military Honors by American Legion Post 91 and VFW Post 1216 will follow the service in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, at the Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.