Rita LaVerne Sandlin of Del City, Oklahoma, died Saturday, December 4, 2021, in Oklahoma City. She was born May 5, 1932, in McKinney, Texas, to Wilsie Estelle Harwood Akin and Charles Edgar Akin. She is preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings including their spouses: Royce Rosco Akin buried in Pass Christian, Mississippi; Annie Ruth Akin Knowles buried in Muskogee, Oklahoma; and Margaret Louise Akin Sparger buried in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Rita is also preceded in death by her ex-husband, Gerald “Jerry” Sandlin; his parents; and all of his siblings (Joseph Cullen, Robert, Retha, Reba, Mary Louise, Henry, James Richard) and their spouses. Rita is survived by their three adult children with grandchildren and great-grandchildren: daughter, Jerry Diane (Sandlin Ferguson) Trout Harwood of Oklahoma City; daughter, Sandra LaVerne (Sandlin) Roark of Oklahoma City; son and daughter-in-law, Robert Charles and Kim Sandlin of Yukon; grand-daughters (by Sandra): Melissa Ann Wells (ex-husband, Joshua) and Gabrielle Diane Rains (husband, Ryan) and grand-daughters (by Robert and Kim) Amber Leigh Behrens and Elizebeth Michelle Sandlin; great-grandchildren: Jolie Paris Wells, Asher Reign Wells, Ellie Grace Wells, Charles Wesley Rains, Rilynn Brielle Rains, Jack Anthony West, Emma Cadence Monger Sandlin, Sophie Beatrice Lovelace. Rita is also survived by a number of supportive nephews and nieces: Jimmie Wayne Knowles; Glenda Ruth Knowles Freeman; Richard and Kit Sparger; Howard Dorsett, Jr, and Alice Quiroga Stella Sparger; Joe Ronald and Sherrie Jeanne Sparger; along with many great-nieces and great-nephews—some taking a special interest: Nancy and Dan Olson, Kaleb Olson, Alexis Olson Power, Shannon and Jennifer Claxton, Jason Knutson, Steven Michael Rizer, and Kevin Scott Rizer. In addition by marriage from Gerald’s side of the family, Rita is survived by a nephew (Mary Louise and Don’s son), Don Carroll, Jr, and his wife, Sharon, and their son, Donnie, all of Texas; a niece, Barbara June Hall (Retha and Andrew Cooper’s daughter), of Hulbert, OK; a great niece, Sherri Cleland; two nephews (sons of Richard and Mary), Patrick and Brian besides other nieces and nephews who have not kept in touch. Rita graduated from Durant High School and then took some courses at Draughon’s School of Business. Before marriage and pregnancy, she worked for the telephone company during a time when operators talked with callers; she loved that work and spoke of it often. With her first child, Rita became a homemaker, as she had dreamed. During child-raising of three, Rita with her husband was active in social and civic organizations such as PTA leadership, Girl Scout leadership, band parents’ support club, and Del City’s library founding. She often worked part-time to give her children more opportunities, holding jobs as a department store gift wrapper, answering service telephone operator, retail clerk, county election official, and docent at the log cabin at the Oklahoma State Fair. When time allowed, Rita enjoyed country music and romantic ballads; she also swooned at movie stars, such as Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Tom Selleck. For personal interest, Rita became a Senior Master Gardener, joined flower clubs, and put many hours of work into her own yard and potted plants. For her yard, she researched and gathered plants which attracted birds and pollinators, besides having several bird baths and feeders; she shared much of this information with family and neighbors. Most of her life, she loved and spoiled a cat (Booger, Tarbaby, Sir Dark, Tabby Toes, Cinder). To expand her creativity, she took courses in flower arranging, cake decorating, and writing, which connected to her enthusiasm about holidays and season changes. With her writing talents, Rita had several of her poems published and self-published a cookbook; late in life, she had planned to publish a book of her writings. Starting when she was baptized at the Durant Church of Christ, she tried to do good deeds for others and faithfully attend services at the Oklahoma City Twelfth and Drexel Church of Christ, the Del City Church of Christ, and then later at the Eastside Church of Christ in Midwest City. For Christian benevolence, Rita worked at the West Main Mission in Oklahoma City, worked for years at the church clothing room, made children’s clothes for African missions, sent bicycle money to Haiti, donated baby formula money to Zambia, and sent cards to many of her close friends. Fulfilling teenage fantasies, Rita enjoyed travel from young adulthood through child-raising and into retirement years, visiting all sections of the United States including Hawaii twice, as well as Mexico several times and Canada. With steadfast devotion, she cared for her mother during her mother’s last years. As she aged, Rita struggled with the loss of her mother, societal changes, and her own loss of abilities. Verified by many, Rita was known for loving to fully “dress up”, wearing hats often and wanting her hair curly and nails painted; she was also known for her vivacious laughter. Most of her life, she loved and wore the colors of spring—green, yellow, orange, and red; however, late in life she preferred purple. A gregarious person, Rita flourished in social situations and often acted with outright flamboyance. A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Barnes & Friederich Funeral Home with interment tentatively planned for May 2022. To honor Rita’s personality, the family asks attendees to wear red, instead of the traditional dark colors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Rita’s mission interests: Tipton Children’s Home, 1000 N Broadway, PO Box 370, Tipton, OK 73570; Or Zambian Mission Fund, PO Box 3393, Abilene, TX 79604-3393 (both non-profits are also on Facebook and have websites).