Douglas Wayne Sanders

Doug is survived by his mother, Norma Mounce Smith; his soulmate, Linda Weiler; stepfather, Lawrence Cullen Smith, Jr.; father, Leon Sanders; sister, Donna Sanders Kenneday and husband Richard; brother, Norman Stuart Smith and wife Alicia; brother, Andrew Victor Smith, Sr., and wife Maria; stepsisters, Larri Smith Armand and Patti Smith Brune; stepbrother, Lawrence Cullen Smith III; nieces and nephews including Deanna Mills, Erica Stauffer, Deidra Trivedi, Dale Mills, Loren Smith, and Andrew Smith, Jr.; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.

Doug was born in Baytown, Texas, on July 8, 1956. He attended elementary schools in Highlands, Houston, and Brownfield, Texas. Doug attended Scarborough Junior High School in Houston, Texas, and he earned his high school diploma from Northwest Academy in Houston, Texas in 1974.

Doug was an accomplished attorney. In 1978, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting. He was accepted to Bates Law School at the University of Houston where he graduated summa cum laude in 1981 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. Upon graduation from the Bates College of Law, Doug was recruited to work for the prestigious law firm of Baker and Botts in Houston, Texas from 1981 to 1988. While working at Baker and Botts, Doug worked on the litigation team that represented Pennzoil in the Pennzoil versus Texaco case which was decided in 1985 in favor of Pennzoil. Doug was offered the opportunity to become a partner at Baker and Botts in 1988 but turned down the offer to pursue his travels. He then traveled by motorcycle all over the country including Alaska and New England. Afterward, he lived in Thailand for a period of six months.

Upon returning from his travels, he worked briefly as an attorney of counsel for a law firm in the San Antonio/Austin areas. In the early 1990’s, Doug went to work for Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison, and Tate which is the largest San Antonio based law firm in San Antonio, Texas. Doug worked as a corporate litigator and became a partner with Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison, and Tate. He retired from that firm in 2005.

Doug was an avid runner and golfer. He ran numerous marathons including the Houston, San Antonio, and Austin marathons as well as other marathons around the country. Doug played various golf courses and was a member of the Horseshoe Bay Country Club and Yacht Club. He was also a member of the Llano Tea Party as well as the Llano Republican Club.

With his background and expertise in law, Doug pursued a political career serving as Chairman of the Llano County Republican Party. He was passionate about taking action against corruption and brought forth accountability of officials with justice under the law. He was a patriot and encouraged voters to use their voice to stand up for freedom. With his leadership, the Party had its most successful fundraiser and achieved his incredible vision of getting at least 80% of the Republican voters to the polls. He was known to be a strong proponent of candidates who were honest and supported the constitution. Additionally, under his leadership as Chairman, he raised $40,000 in a county-wide fundraiser for the organization.

Nothing personifies the spirit of Doug’s life better than the tribute of his niece, Deidra:

Uncle Doug pursued life to the absolute fullest. Whether on the golf course or in the courtroom, he achieved the expression: “living the dream.” He was a student of life yet oftentimes a mentor to others offering sage advice over a cocktail and fine cigar. He was different things to different people: a brother, a son, an uncle, a true friend, a confidant, a leader, a lover, and an overall outstanding human being.

After a multitude of achievements and awards in his prestigious law career, he continued his intellectual endeavors by attending academic programs at both Harvard and Oxford Universities. He was an avid reader and enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge in all facets. He traveled the world endeavoring to live a life of his own experience not just a story written by someone else. He learned Spanish as a foreign language while in Spain, meditation while traveling Thailand, and gained particular notoriety when he embarked upon a solo motorcycle trip to Alaska with his beloved dog, Renegade. He was an honorable scholar of the law standing up for what he believed and upholding justice with integrity. As he entered the political sector, he sought to uphold the standards that this great nation was founded upon and with his passion he inspired many.

Alas, he enjoyed the finer things in life and was always generous to those around him. His impeccable wit and charm could make anyone smile. At the end of the day, you might find him on the patio listening to the classics with his loyal dog, Harley, by his side. He soaked up every moment and fearlessly followed his dreams. Ever the explorer, he was eager to pursue and conquer what inspired him most. When he dreamed of playing the guitar, he took lessons to master it, recording memorable songs such as “Brown-Eyed Girl” for the one he loved. He played golf with an impeccable swing, ran marathons, loved bowling, and enjoyed dancing the night away in his Lama boots. Whether riding solo, with his buddies, or with his girlfriend by his side, one of his favorite pastimes was cruising the Texas hill country on his Harley-Davidson. With the sun on his face and the wind in his hair, he is on a new journey now. I imagine him putting on his sunglasses and smiling.

He lived a life to be proud of. We treasure the time we had with him and cherish all the memories made. Share his stories and smile as you remember him. He will forever live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Sanders family.