Charles Sandifer

Charles Kenneth (Sandy) Sandifer was born November 26,1927 in Arkansas City, Arkansas. He left   Arkadelphia, Arkansas for Heaven August 20, 2019.  There he met his parents, Thomas Benjamin Sandifer and Emily Marie Strickland Sandifer, his sisters, Marie Ponder and Lanell Corley, his sons, Bryan Kenneth Sandifer and Alan Dale Sandifer, daughter-in-law Sue Jarrett Sandifer and a host of others.  He is survived by his wife, Lucille Kesner Sandifer, son Randy Sandifer, daughter, Leanne Strickland and her husband Russell Strickland, daughter in-law Mary Sandifer, grandchildren, Amanda Sandifer Conine (Matt),  Emily Freeland (Matt), Kelly Strickland,  Ryan Sandifer (Emily), Denise Rud and Robbie Trahan, great grandchildren, Dusty Rud, Nick Rud, Thomas Rud, Beckham Freeland, Emmett Freeland, Eli Conine, and three great great grandchildren.  He is also survived by his non-family family, Angie Elrod, Nan Kirksey and Tammy Graves and their children and grandchild.  Sandy graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1950 and Peabody College in 1964.  He served with the Army in Korea.  He and Lucille were married August 29, 1953. He taught biology and life sciences at Arkansas A & M College and at Ouachita, where he was chair of the biology department.  Sandy was a deacon of First Baptist Church in Arkadelphia, and was very active in service to the community, serving on the school board and water utilities board, working with Red River Baptist Association Disaster relief, raising funds to support law enforcement and generally helping anyone he saw in need.  Lead by a vision from God, he founded appreciation dinners for law enforcement and first responders and for city utility workers, which will continue.  He loved God, his family, his church, teaching, hunting, fishing, woodworking, antique collecting and refinishing, conducting estate sales, and camping at the lake. Visitation at First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, 2:00 PM Sunday, August 25, Service at 3:00 PM.  In lieu of flowers he requested donations to First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, OBU biology department, or the Clark County Law Enforcement Foundation (Citizens Bank).