Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc.

♥️♥️♥️

THAT'S ONE 🗣️

// MidFirst Bank

Our event "An Evening with OU Quarterbacks" was an amazing event. We had 340 in attendance and I know everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you to Riverwind, Justin Yahola, Hal Smith, Traditions and Midway Deli. Our emcee John O'Dell, Jerry Pettibone, what an amazing job! Thank you Jerry for your sweet tribute to Patrick Fletcher. Thank you. We are thankful for Chris Melson and Louis Dakil, our auctioneer for the night. So fun! Thank you so much to our Photographer, Joe Ownbey. He attends every one of our events. To our volunteers, what would we have done without you! My sweet family! Amazing. Shiloh & Tristan... you are definitely the best! I wish I could have visited every table and spoken with everyone. I am so proud to be a part of Sooners Helping Sooners. Jerry and Jay are definite servants helping so many. It's not a one time fix... they develop relationships with all they have helped and continuing to help. It never ends. I will always be grateful to my son Patrick Fletcher for leading me to this amazing ministry!

Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc.
Our Mission is to positively impact the lives of former University of Oklahoma student-athletes and their families by providing assistance with life issues, opportunities for personal development, education and rewarding career paths.

Since 2014, SHS has assisted over 160 former OU men and women student-athletes and their families representing numerous sports, successfully placing many in jobs, assisting in other life issues as well. We recognize that after leaving OU not all will be prepared to compete in the workplace and we feel we have an obligation to help however and whenever possible. It is not easy at all.

Thank you Jerry Pettibone & Jay O’Neal for the opportunity. -Pam

Leon Crosswhite and Mike Struck! Two of the nicest people. When Mike would come to Oklahoma I would always take him first to see Lee Roy Selmon at the cemetery in Oklahoma City and then Eddie Foster & Jack Mildren at the Norman cemetery. He absolutely loved those guys. He always wanted to go and see Leon Crosswhite. That was an amazing visit. Sweet men for sure. The stories were incredible to listen to.

Leon Mac Crosswhite, of Hennessey, Oklahoma, died on April 13th, 2026.

Leon was born to Dwaine McKinley and Margret Winona Crosswhite on April 28th, 1951. Leon graduated from Hennessey High School in 1969 and went on to play football at the University of Oklahoma until 1972. He spent three seasons playing in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots before returning to OU to complete his degree in advertising in the spring of 1974. He married Patricia Ann Crosswhite, his wife of forty years, on September 16, 1974. Trish and Leon settled in Hennessey, Oklahoma, where they raised their four children and owned and operated Crosswhite Spraying Service for more than thirty years.

Leon will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Known for his compassionate, warmhearted spirit, Leon was devoted first and foremost to his wife, four children, and nine grandchildren. Leon was also an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hennessey, where he was a committed member of his Men’s Club. He had a reputation for his diligent, hard-working nature and was an avid fisherman and lover of sports.

Leon is survived by his daughters Katie; her husband Marcus Newby; and their four children Hanna, Benjamin, Sara Grace, and Blair; Becky; her husband Aaron Strope; and their three children Jack, Molly, and Luke; Maggie; her husband Yalçin Durguner; and their two children Leyla and Mac; and son Patrick Crosswhite. His other surviving relatives include his sister Jenae Swart; brother Rodney Crosswhite; brother Kenny Crosswhite, wife Phyllis; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He is preceded in death by his cherished wives, Trish (1952-2014) and Amy Nelson-Crosswhite (1951-1973), as well as his parents and sister Naomi Crosswhite.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hennessey Educational School Foundation or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Men’s Club with the funeral home serving as custodian of the funds. A rosary will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Thursday, April 16th at 6pm and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 17th at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 211 N. Cherokee St. Hennessey, OK 73742. Interment is at Calvary Cemetery in Hennessey under the direction of Cordry-Gritz Funeral Home.

Our prayers for peace and strength go out to all the family. Leon was an amazing and much loved man.

Jerry, Jay & Chris

Don’t forget our event, “An evening with OU quarterbacks” … Thursday, May 28, 2026 at the Riverwind Casino, Norman, Oklahoma. It is going to be a great evening and would love for you to be there. You can call Sooners Helping Sooners at 405.236.1636 for information on tickets or sponsoring a table.

Helping Those Who have Entertained Us! About Sooners Helping Sooners.

“Sooners Helping Sooners positively impacts the lives of former University of Oklahoma student-athletes and their families by providing opportunities for personal development, education and rewarding career paths,” reads the mission statement of Sooners Helping Sooners. That can be help with job contacts, education, addiction rehab or even something as simple as interviewing advice.

Bubba Moses ( #89) – Tight end from Houston Northshore High School. Bubba played at OU from 2002 to 2006. He was a part of 3 Big 12 conference Championships (2002, 2004, and 2006). He participated in the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and Liberty Bowl.

Dear Coach Pettibone & Coach O’Neal,
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the impact Sooners Helping Sooners has had on my life and on the Moses family. From my time in Truck Driving School to working in the oil field, Sooners Helping Sooners has always been a steady presence and a source of strength for us.

Your support has helped carry my family through different seasons of our journey, and your encouragement has consistently uplifted us. Because of people like you Coach Pettibone, Coach O’Neal and an organization like Sooners Helping Sooners, having living out the vision of Jankie Sanderfer, I was able to keep going, keep working, and keep believing that better opportunities were ahead.

Today, I am proud to share that I am a 7th grade Social Studies teacher and coach at Royal Junior High School in Brookshire, Texas. Every day I step into my classroom and onto the field, I carry with me the values of hard work, service, and perseverance that you helped reinforce in my life. The investment you made in me and my family continues to ripple out into the lives of the students I serve.
Thank you for always being a part of the Moses family story. Your kindness, leadership, and commitment to helping others have truly made a difference, and we are forever grateful.

With heartfelt appreciation, Bubba Moses & The Moses Family

Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc.

Sooners Helping Sooners was created to assist out-of-school former University of Oklahoma athletes who have completed their eligibility find gainful employment which will allow them to adequately care for themselves and their family. SHS can be a life changing opportunity to provide the necessary resources to former Sooner student-athletes so they can properly house, feed and educate those they love. Unfortunately, we have seen a steady increase in the need for such a service.

The Founder of Sooners Helping Sooners, Jakie Sandefer was passionate about everything he took on. For over 40 years he helped former Sooner athletes in need find a place in the ever-changing job market out of his own pocket and finally in 2014 he and others formalized the effort with the founding of Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

We have assisted over 150 former OU men and women student athletes and families, representing numerous sports, successfully placing many in jobs and assisting in other areas as well. We recognize that after leaving OU not all will be prepared to compete in the workplace and we feel we have an obligation to help however and whenever possible.

We expanded our fundraising with the annual Barry Switzer Golf Tournament as well as Spring and Fall Events. We receive invaluable support from a group known as the 300 Club as the foundation group for our funding and ask each 300 Member to contribute $1,000 annually to support the mission of Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc. Donations are always accepted. You can donate online at https://soonershelpingsooners.com/. We are so very grateful to all who support us.

Be sure and check out our amazing videos at soonerstories.com.