Tommy Joe Sanborn II

Tommy Joe Sanborn II, Alva, passed away in his home, surrounded by his family, Friday, November 12, 2021, at the age of 51, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. His year-and-a-half-long fight showed his courage in facing life’s challenges with grit and determination. Despite the pain, Tommy came out a hero and stayed strong until the end.

On July 16, 1970, he was born to Bobbie Ann Sanborn (née Simon) in Kiowa, Kan. Tommy was the oldest of he and his sister Tonya, and the kids grew up in both the Cherokee and Jet areas. During Tommy’s teenage years, he moved to Alva, where he graduated a Goldbug.

As an adult, Tommy’s first marriage produced two children, Gage Alexander and Katelin Rose. The kids were his pride and joy, and he loved spending every moment he could with them. The three lived in Enid, where Tommy met and got engaged to Stacy, later whom he would marry.

For a few years, Tommy, Stacy, and the kids lived in Arlington, Texas.

While in Texas, Tommy became a father of three when he and Stacy welcomed daughter Sydney Grace to the family. Shortly after the birth, changes in circumstances brought the couple and their new baby back to Oklahoma, where later a fourth child, Jagger Evan Thomas, was born. They made their home in Alva, where Tommy worked at Alva Monument until his illness.

Tommy is survived by his wife Stacy; children Gage, Katelin, Sydney, and Jagger; father Larry Failes; grandfather Doug Kranz; sister Tonya Tullis, half-sisters Jennifer Hackler, and Amantha and Rebecca Sanborn; aunt Dana Franklin, uncles Steve Simon (Jackie) and Robert “Bob” Sanborn; nieces Jadyn and Keyauna Heidrick, great-nephew Cayden Reed, and several cousins. Preceding him in death are his mom Bobbie Failes and grandmother Wilma (Fern) Kranz.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m., at Marshall Funeral Home, Alva Friday, November 19,  with Max Ridgway of Grace and Faith Fellowship Church officiating.

A Love fund has been set up at ACB Bank in Cherokee to help with funeral expenses.