Donald Eldridge Landers, 86, of Collinsville, Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Tulsa. Donald was born in Crowder, Oklahoma, on November 11, 1937, the son of Jess Wade and Mabel (Bristow) Landers. He attended Pittsburg High School and graduated in 1956. He then attended Eastern Oklahoma A & M College. After working in the oil fields in Hobbs, New Mexico, he entered the United States Navy in 1959, studying Aviation Electronics. He played on the US Navy National Champion Softball team in 1961 and 1962. DE was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1965.
DE spent his working life in Tulsa, Oklahoma and retired from thirty years of service as an Electrical Inspector at North American Rockwell which was eventually consolidated as Boeing. During that time, he was a UAW Union Representative and played semiprofessional softball for the Tulsa Drillers in the 1960's and 1970's.
After retirement, DE married the love of his life, Anne, and they spent 20 years in the horse racing industry, traveling to racetracks and living in the southwest, including Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. He was licensed as a racehorse trainer in ten states and was multiple stakes placed trainer across four breed categories. He was professionally licensed over 50 years and was one of the first licensed trainers when Oklahoma adopted pari-mutual racing.
DE is survived by his wife, Anne, of the home, son Casey Stowe of Tulsa and two grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Jess and Mabel Landers, brother, AM Landers and sister Charlotte Nixon.
DE was buried at the Massey Cemetery under the direction of Hunn, Black & Merritt Funeral Home & Crematory.
