David F. Sandstrom

David F. Sandstrom, a long-time Lawton-Fort Sill advocate, died Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Plano, Texas at the age of 91.

David F. Sandstrom was born March 6, 1934, in New York City, the son of Dr. Carl Sandstrom and Dr. Ruth Sandstrom, both biologists then employed as professors at New York City universities. David graduated from George Washington High School in The Bronx, New York. In 1956 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. That same year he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the US Army. He was assigned to Fort Sill for his entire active-duty career. He continued to serve in the US Army Reserves, reaching the rank of Captain.

While at Fort Sill, Sandstrom became active in Lawton’s Wallock Memorial Congregational Church, where he became the volunteer choir director. Over his time in Lawton, he took part in many musical activities, including Lawton’s annual Messiah performance. He also served on numerous boards, including the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lawton Community Concert Association. After Wallock church merged to become Boulevard Congregational and Christian Church, he was a choir member there for some 50 years.

After leaving the Army, Sandstrom became the director of the Wichita Mountains Easter Service Association, the annual outdoor religious pageant presented each year at The Holy City in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. He held the professional position for five years, then took part in the performance as a cast member and board member for 20 years. He was also active in various community service organizations, including Optimist Club, Kiwanis Club, and the McMahan Auditorium Authority.

He also was employed as convention director and as assistant director of the Lawton Chamber of Commerce, spent numerous years as a vice president of Security Bank and Trust Company, and as development officer of KCCU Public Radio. He spent two years as manager of the Chamber of Commerce of Independence, Missouri.

He married Eve Kimbrell in 1960. She survives, as do two daughters, Ruth Henson and Betsy (Sam) Peters; and son, John; a sister, Louisa (Jim) Halfaker; three grandchildren, Claire (Daniel Forman) Henson, Clay (Giavanna) Henson, and Eric Peters; and one great-grandchild, Jamie Forman. He was preceded in death by his brother, Peter Sandstrom in March 2025.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Wichita Mountains Easter Sunrise Service Association or Cameron University Foundation for KCCU Public Radio Station.

Services are to be held in Lawton, OK at a time to be announced.