Funeral for SGM (Retired) Thomas W. VanDevender, 66, Lawton will be at 10:00 AM Thursday, July 31, 2014 at the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain (MAJ) Thomas Bruce officiating. Sergeant Major VanDevender died Saturday, July 26, 2014 at his home. Burial with full military honors will be at Post Cemetery, Fort Sill. The family will greet friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at the funeral home. He was born November 8, 1947 in Anderson, Indiana to Wallace and Lucille (Rawlins) VanDevender. He married Mary L. Brewer on November 8, 1981 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Sergeant Major VanDevender worked his way through school by working at Marsh Grocery Store in Anderson, Indiana before joining the military. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2005 after more than thirty-eight years of service. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and many others. Following his retirement he worked for Range Operations at Fort Sill in several capacities. He served on the Fort Sill Retiree Council and was a member of the Sergeants Major Association. Survivors include his wife, of the home, three children and their spouses, Thomas W. VanDevender, II and his wife Lisa, Richmond, Indiana, Kenneth VanDevender and his wife Kristie, Eaton, Indiana and Jayanna Haynes and her husband Dustin, Fairmount, Indiana, his mother, Lucille VanDevender, Lawton, brother, Larry Vandevender and his wife Mary, Yorktown, Indiana, sister, Laura and her husband Joe, Bonita Springs, Florida, uncle, Claude VanDevender and his wife Joyce, Clayton, Michigan, two step children, Gerold Lee Yates and his wife Michelle, Franklin, Indiana and Phillip Shane Patterson, New Jersey, seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren and four step grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, David VanDevender.