Ted Leake Sandridge passed away peacefully on April 7, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma following a long illness. He is survived by his wife Kay Ellen Sandridge (nee Robertson), his daughter Cheryl Kay Sandridge, of Deckers, Colorado, his son Douglas Christopher Sandridge and his wife Stacey Baur Sandridge, of Golden, Colorado, and three grandchildren: Chelsea Noelle Sandridge, Princeton, New Jersey, Brionna Michelle Sandridge, Norman, Oklahoma and Alexander Douglas Sandridge, Boulder, Colorado. Ted is also survived by his brother Jerry Clayton Sandridge, his son Ryan Edward Sandridge, wife Amanda and their children Jacqueline and McKenzie and Jerry’s son Jason Reed Sandridge; Ted’s sister Paula Virginia Briggs and her husband Wade Douglas Briggs, their son Paul Douglas Briggs, wife Courtney Sandridge and their children Alexander and Grace and their daughter Stephanie Ann Briggs and her daughter Chloe Sage Briggs; Ted’s sister Carol Anne Sandridge and her husband John William Barney and Carol’s daughter Dianne Camp, husband Jeff Camp and Dianne’s children Lily Ann Thurman and Ethan Jeffrey Camp; Ted’s late brother-in-law’s children Valerie Lynn Robertson, Alan Haeworth Robertson and Mary Kathryn Robertson and their mother Adeline Kissee Robertson. Ted was preceded in death by his mother Floy Virginia Sandridge (nee Leake) and his father Paul Jefferson Sandridge of Richmond, Virginia and his brother-in-law, A. Haeworth Robertson of Washington, D.C.
Ted was born in Memphis, Tennessee on August 11th, 1936. Ted graduated from North Dallas High School in 1954 and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Engineering. Ted served as President of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity in 1958. He studied Military Science for four years at OU and served as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army at Ft. Benning, Georgia. On April 7, 1958, Ted married Kay Ellen Robertson (daughter of Albert Haeworth & Bonnie Robertson [nee Duckett] of Oklahoma City) at Crown Heights Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.
In October 1959, Ted started his career at Phillips Petroleum Company in Athens, Texas. Prior to 1966, Ted had taken additional assignments for Phillips Petroleum in Oklahoma City, Denver, Bartlesville, and Amarillo. In 1966, Ted joined the International Department of Phillips Petroleum and was assigned to Oslo, Norway where he was part of the team that eventually discovered oil beneath the North Sea. Ted subsequently accepted assignments in Den Hague, Netherlands, London, England, and Bogota, Colombia. He returned to the United States for assignments in Odessa, Texas and Bartlesville, Oklahoma before returning to London, Abidjan, Ivory Coast and then London again for a third and final time. In 1980, Ted earned his MBA from Boston University. In 1989, he returned to Bartlesville and was promoted to Vice President of the International Exploration & Production Division. In 1995, he was named Vice President of Global Ventures & International Business Relations. In 1998, Ted retired as Vice President of International Business and Government Relations, after 39+ years of service to Phillips Petroleum. Ted was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
After retirement from Phillips Petroleum, Ted helped manage his family’s restaurant, Uncle Lynn’s Catfish Restaurant, which was located near Wichita Falls, Texas. Ted served as President of the North Texas Restaurant Association and a Director of the Texas Restaurant Association in 2001. Ted also served on the Board of the Bartlesville Symphony and the North Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross. In 2016, Ted was inducted as a member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
In 1995, Ted was named as Phillips Petroleum’s executive liaison for the University of Oklahoma. He served as a member of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Board of Visitors, Gallogly College of Engineering Board of Visitors, OU’s Centennial Campaign Committee, and President Boren’s Reach for Excellence Campaign Committee. Ted also served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Sarkey’s Energy Center at the University of Oklahoma from 1996 to 1998. In 1995, Ted received the University of Oklahoma Regents Alumni Award. In 2001, Ted was inducted into the Gallogly College of Engineering Distinguished Graduate Society. On April 6, 2017, Ted received the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Distinguished Alumni Award.
Ted was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and friend to all. He was a member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Norman. Ted volunteered as a Boy Scout leader and coach for his children’s sports teams. He also enjoyed golf, hunting, snow skiing and travel. Ted was a member of the Century Travelers Club and travelled to over 100 countries throughout his life. Ted also enjoyed putting together family reunions for his extended family. Besides God and his family, Ted loved nothing more than his beloved University of Oklahoma!
Visitation will be held on Friday, April 21st at Havenbrook Funeral Home in Norman, Oklahoma from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm. Ted’s family will be present at the visitation from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. Ted’s funeral will be held at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Norman at 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 22nd. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City on Saturday, April 22nd. Donations can be made to the endowed Ted L. Sandridge Engineering Scholarship at the University of Oklahoma Foundation or to the American Lung Association. The American Lung Association’s Giving Week is appropriately April 17th – 21st; donations can be made at www.lung.org.

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