Sadona Sue Williamson Sheets Gardner was born in Pilot Point, Texas, on March 21, 1935. She was adopted at the age of 9 by John and Gladys Williamson in Hobart, Oklahoma. They spent the first few years of her childhood there, later moving to Medicine Park, Oklahoma, for two years, then back to Hobart for the remainder of her childhood. She was married to Billy (Bill) R. Sheets in 1953 after his return from participating in the Korean conflict where he was a member of the United States Air Force. She and Bill lived in Stillwater, Oklahoma, while Bill attended Oklahoma A&M College, later Oklahoma State University, where he earned a degree in geology. While Bill attended OSU in Stillwater, he and Sue had two sons, Keith and John, born in Hobart, then a daughter, Rebecca, born in Stillwater. After graduation, the family moved to Moore, Oklahoma, where Bill was employed by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation as a road construction geologist. While there, they welcomed their fourth child, Mark, to the family.
In 1964 the family purchased a farm just south of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, where Bill established Earth Materials, Incorporated, a consulting company serving the road construction industry in Oklahoma. Some years later, they purchased a farm on the Washita River where they raised wheat, alfalfa and cattle for many years. In addition to child rearing and helping to manage their household and farm, Sue served as office manager for their consulting business.
As an adult, Sue was reconnected to her birth mother, Lynell Self, of Utah, and four half sisters, Esta, RuthAnne, Sheri and Paula.
The four Sheets children attended Joy School through the eighth grade then completed the remainder of their primary education at Wynnewood High School. While at Joy, Sue’s children were active in 4H and she was an active parent volunteer in this and other activities.
Sue was an accomplished pianist. Her other interests included crocheting, flying, painting, sewing, gardening and travel. Bill and Sue both had pilot’s licenses and flew their Cessna 172 around the Central U.S. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Sue and Bill made multiple trips with their RV in tow to Alaska where they spent several months each summer fishing for salmon and halibut and exploring and prospecting. Later, the couple spent winters in Pharr, Texas, as snowbirds golfing and socializing with the other retirees. Bill passed away in 1998 of cancer.
After Bill’s passing, Sue continued to travel, including solo trips to the Rocky Mountains to see her daughter and a trip to Europe. In 2006, Sue eloped to Las Vegas with Rogers Gardner, of Wynnewood, and they were married. Sue and Rogers were married for 17 years and lived in Wynnewood until his death in 2023.
Sue is preceded in death by her parents, John and Gladys Williamson; her sister, Johna Mae Williamson; and husbands Billy Rex Sheets and Rogers Hornsby Gardner.
She is survived by her four children, Keith Allen Sheets (wife Cindy) of Perkins, Oklahoma; Billy John Sheets (wife Winnie) of Cypress, Texas; Rebecca Lynn Sheets Gray (husband Mike) of Magnolia, Texas; and Mark Wilburn Sheets (wife Dana) of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild.
Visitation will be Friday, December 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 14, at 9 a.m. at the Methodist Church in Wynnewood, with burial following at 1:30 p.m. at the Roosevelt Cemetery in Roosevelt, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to support research for a cure for Parkinson’s disease at give.michaeljfox.org.
