I was born on June 29, 1931, in Mount Vernon, OK, the fourth of fifteen children born unto Theodore and Ethel Lee Jones Cato. He attended Mt. Vernon schools. In later years, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he met and married Armelia Erby. They were blessed with two children, Robert Lynn and Vanessa Faye.

In 1969, he worked as an Equipment Operator for North American Rockwell Corp. of Tulsa on the successful lunar flight (Apollo 11). Later,he became self-employed as a cattleman, and he established a successful lawn service. Under the pastoral leadership of Rev. E. Eugene McAshan, Clifford united with St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. Sonny was famous for his story telling and jokes. He always looked forward to having a good long one for his brother, Bennie. He loved to travel and took much pride in attending the Cato family reunions. If you knew Sonny, one of his sayings was, "Don't mess with my boots. That is where my money is."

Surrounded by family and friends in the comfort of his home, he departed this life on Saturday, February 22, 2020. He was preceded in death by: his wife, Armelia Cato; parents, Theodore and Ethel Cato; longtime companion, Barbara Canady; his sisters, Cynthia Mitchell, Nadine Tyson, Anice Alexander and Beatrice Cato Grant; his brothers, Ralph Cato, Sr., Arthur Cato, Sr., and Verdis Cato; sisters-in-law; Earseline Cato and Bernadine Cato; brothers-in-law, Moses Fields, Nathaniel Tyson, Charles Alexander, Hubert "Bill" Bowie, and James Guyton.

He leaves to cherish his memory: sons, Robert Lynn Cato (Andrea) of Broken Arrow, OK, Leonard Houston of Tulsa, OK; daughters, Vanessa Faye Jackson (Edred) of Edmond, OK, Corinice Wilson (Julian) of Tulsa, OK, LaTahra Smith of Raytown, MO, LaTonya Johnson and Beverly Lee of Tulsa, OK, and LaGina Canady of Euless, TX; four sisters, Altha Fay Fields of Wichita, KS, Wyonia Bowie of Oklahoma City, OK, Shirley Rhodes (Pete) of Atlanta, GA, and Effie Guyton of Spencer, OK; two brothers, Robert Cato (Liza) of Tulsa, OK, and Bennie Cato (Angela) of Yukon, OK; grandchildren, Catonia Goff of Dallas, TX, Danielle Kinnell, Mariah Moore, and Julius Wilson, all of Edmond, OK, Brice Jackson (Erica) of Midwest City, OK, Gracie Cato of Broken Arrow, OK, Makesha Watson, Keshon Neal, Leonard Neal, Khourtlyn Brown, Camille Lewis, Tarrant, Brian, Darun (Amber), Paisley and Deleah Canady, all of Tulsa, OK, and Ke'vin Smith of Raytown, MO; 38 great- grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Service arrangements for Mr. Theodore Cato have been scheduled for Saturday, February 29,2020 at 11:00 AM in the Keith D. Biglow Funeral Director's-Tulsa Chapel.

You may visit Theodore on Friday, February 28, 2020 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Keith D. Biglow Funeral Director's-Tulsa Chapel.

Burial will immediately follow the services at the Green Acres Memorial Gardens in Skiatook, Oklahoma.