My Daddy
My Daddy. I have been blessed to grow up and grow old ‘er’ with my daddy in my life. My daddy took his last breath here on earth with his family surrounding him in his home and took his first breath in heaven welcomed by his heavenly father, who I imagine saying “Well done, my good and faithful servant” on Sunday, Nov. 26th at 11:23pm. Throughout life our heavenly father has taught us how to love, the strength of His peace, the depth of His mercy and how to abide in His grace and my daddy learned to walk in this love, peace, mercy and grace and we are so thankful for that peace that passes all understanding during this time. So very many verses were read by my family to my daddy and our family in the room for the days before my daddy passed and now after he left so many verses have so much more depth of meaning: Psalms 29:11 ‘The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord blesses His people with peace’. John 14:27 ‘The Peace I give is a gift the world cannot give’. Isaiah 41:10 ‘Do not fear for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strength you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’. Psalms 118:24 ‘This is the day the Lord hath made’. Oh so many verses. God’s peace has reigned in the hearts and in my momma’s home throughout this process. My daddy had a hard time with Parkinson’s. 23 years diagnosed. The last 10 years have been hard. The last 4 years really hard, the last 1 even harder. The last 10 days, all of his living children were here, 21 of 22 grandchildren were able to come see him and all but 1 of the great grandchildren were able to come. What a beautiful gift to my daddy, my momma and to all the grandchildren who were able to come. We will all miss my daddy, I’m sure my momma most of all, after all she spent most of her life, the last 67 years of her life with him. She was 16 years old when she married him, they had and raised 7 children, they lived very far away from their parents in the beginning of their marriage then moved close then moved about 6 hours away, so very much to tell about their story, our story. Thank you Lord for a lifetime of stories and the memories we now have. Thank you Lord for my daddy. Jim was born on the bank of the Blue River in Oklahoma near Union Valley, OK. His birth certificate notes this as Connerville, Ok. He was the youngest son of Bud Richard and Choisey Mae Hale Sadler. His brothers are: half brother by his mother: Roy Blankenship, brothers: Herbert, Royal, Bill and Glen. The Sadler family lived in several places in Oklahoma including: Stonewall, Ada, Seminole, Coalgate, and Union Valley. They also lived on the Munday ranch in Hatch New Mexico and went to school in Rincon, NM. Here is the obituary that I was honored to write for him: Jim Vestal Sadler, 87, of Slaton, passed away on November 26, 2023, at home with his family. He was a man of his word, with a steadfast work ethic, and a deep love for his family. Jim along with his family built a successful business, Sadler Monument Works, to provide for his family and serve other families in their time of need. Jim, affectionately known as "Sadman" at golf courses throughout the area, had a love for the sport. He enjoyed spending his leisure time on the greens, honing his skills and enjoying the camaraderie of fellow golfers. Born on January 27, 1936, Jim proudly served his country in the Army. His military associations helped shape his character and instilled in him the values of discipline, honor, and dedication. Jim served in the Slaton Little League program as a coach and an umpire for over 28 years sowing into the lives of the youth in Slaton. Jim is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Paula Ruth, and 6 of their 7 children: Richard and wife Patty of Lubbock, James and wife JoAnn of Lubbock, Loy and husband Chip Boreing of Slaton, David and wife Cindy of Hobbs, NM, LeAnn and husband Darrel Russell of Springtown, Texas, and John Mark and wife Nicole of Slaton. One son Michael preceded him in breathing his first breath in heaven. He also leaves behind a legacy of 22 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous extended family members. Jim's private family service will be held to honor his life and celebrate the memories they shared. The family is grateful to the Lord for the work of Christ throughout Jim’s life and the legacy that will be passed down from generation to generation. His life is still our guide. In this time of loss, we join the family in remembering Jim's remarkable life and the impact he had on those around him. Psalms 34:1-22 To honor my daddy’s wishes, we held a private family graveside service on Tuesday. He was laid to rest in a black walnut casket and family adorned it with black walnuts, golf balls, a Sadler monument hat and flowers. (if you know you know, if you don’t there are stories behind each. “Sadman” was not his nickname because he was sad, because he was not, at all. His name Sadler and his superman status lead to the creation of this name and it must be seen attached to the superman ‘S’ emblem. But to me, he was Daddy. And the are not enough words to explain what all that meant, it’s our story and we were blessed to live it.