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Jakie Sandefer

Roster Info

Season Class # Pos Ht Wt
1956 SO 27 LH 5-9 165
1957 JR 27 LH 5-9 166
1958 SR 27 LH 5-9 166

Personal Info

First Name: J.
Middle Name: D.
Last Name: Sandefer, III
Common Name: Jakie
Nickname: Jakie
Hometown: Breckenridge, TX
High School: Breckenridge
Birth Date/Place: December 13, 1936
Death Date/Place: January 27, 2015 in Houston, TX (age 78)
Related To:
Obituary:

(Geo. H. Lewis & Sons) J. D. "Jakie" Sandefer III, born the 13th day of December 1936, departed this world to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, the 27th day of January 2015.

Jakie grew up in Breckenridge, Texas where football and oil and gas were a way of life. Jakie was a standout varsity football player at Breckenridge High, and following high school went to the University of Oklahoma, where he was a starting halfback during the 47 game winning streak, still the longest in division one college football history.

Jakie graduated in 1959 and returned to Breckenridge to start his life as an independent oilman and continue a fifty year tradition started by his father, J. D. Sandefer, Jr. Jakie soon moved to Abilene where he was joined by his lifelong friend Thurmon Andress and they concentrated their oil and gas activities in west and west central Texas. In 1975, they opened a Houston office and commenced their business operations in the Gulf Coast. In 1979, Jakie moved to Houston and was joined by Stephen F. Smith as they formed Sandefer Oil & Gas, Inc.

Through the course of his career, Jakie drilled over 600 wildcat wells in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. During a 10 year span between the 1980's and the 1990's, Sandefer Oil & Gas, LLC. was one of the most active independent operators in the United States, primarily in the upper Texas Gulf Coast, South Louisiana and Oklahoma. Throughout the years, Jakie made many significant contributions to enhance academics and athletics at OU where he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in 2000.

In 1990, Jakie was selected by his peers to be a member of the All-American Wildcatters, an honor reserved for those whose "word is their bond." He was inducted in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2007 and in the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. Among Jakie's honors, he was elected president of Spindletop International, an oilmen's charity organization for children.

Jakie is survived by his beloved wife, Melissa Lemke Sandefer and is the proud parent of Jeff Sandefer, Julie Hagey and Laurie Sandefer. He is blessed with seven grandchildren: Zach Horvath; Amanda Horvath; Emma Horvath; Grace Horvath; Taite Sandefer; Charlie Sandefer and Sam Sandefer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc., a program started by Jakie and others to help former University of Oklahoma football players live more productive and fruitful lives, 2600 Van Buren, Ste. 2600, Norman, OK, 73072 and the Sandefer Oil Museum, P.O. Box 350, Breckenridge, TX, 76424.

Notes

  • A (C) indicates that the player was a captain for that season (named before each game in 1982, 1995 through 1998, and 2022 to present).
  • Related To refers to other OU athletes only.
  • Calculations for career totals will be skewed if the season totals are incomplete.