Graveside service for SSG (Retired) Alton L. Sanderson, 75, Lawton will be held at 11:30 am Friday, February 14, 2014 at the Highland Cemetery with Rev. Bob Jones, Pastor Emeritus, Cameron Baptist Church officiating Sergeant Sanderson died Wednesday, February 12 in a local hospital. Burial with full military honors will be under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home. He was born February 6, 1939 in Macon, Georgia to Jim and Russell Sanderson. He joined the US Navy in 1956 and was honorably discharged in 1959. He joined the US Army and retired as a Staff Sergeant in 1979 after a total of 23 years service. He served three tours in Vietnam, and earned the following awards: Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 7 Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Three Overseas Service Bars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and the Expert (Rifle-M-16). He married Utako Maekawa on February 22, 1975 in Lawton. Following his retirement from the Army, he worked at Douglas school as a custodian, worked for Sander's Hardware and was a cook at Fort Sill. He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association and of Cameron Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife of the home, a daughter, Sherrie Underwood, Lawton, and a sister, Dorothy Parks, of Macon, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Scott Sanderson, JW Sanderson, Bill Sanderson and Rabon Sanderson, and a sister, Linda Sanderson.