Rev. Robert Roland Sauer

OBITUARY

CATE-SPENCER & TRENT FUNERAL HOME

403 LOCUST/P.O. BOX 27

SWEETWATER , TEXAS 79556

(325) 236-6717 FAX # (325) 236-6719

website: www.catespencertrent.com

The Rev. Robert Roland Sauer, 74, of Allen , Texas passed away on Sunday,

November 7, 2010 .

Graveside Services will be held 11:00 A.M., Thursday, November 11, 2010 at

Roscoe Cemetery with Pastor Gordon Illausky officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home.

The memorial service, with a reception following, will be held at 11 A.M. , on

Saturday, November 13, 2010 , at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church , 821 South

Greenville Avenue in Allen , Texas .

Robert was born on April 6, 1936 , in Nolan County , Texas .

Robert was baptized, confirmed, and ordained into the ministry at First Salem

Lutheran Church in Roscoe , Texas . He graduated from Roscoe High School in

1954; from Texas Lutheran College in Seguin , Texas , in 1958; and from Wartburg

Seminary in Dubuque , Iowa in 1962. While in seminary, he completed his internship

at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Charles City , Iowa .

Robert served three calls. During the first, with the Board of World Missions, ALC ,

he was stationed in Papua New Guinea from October 1962 until January 1975. After

that, he returned to Texas , with his second call at St. James Lutheran Church of New

Wehdem, near Brenham, from October 1975 until April 1987. His third call was at St.

John’s Lutheran Church in Thrall from April l987 until his retirement in May, 2001.

During this pastorate, he also served Zion Lutheran Church in Sandoval. After his

retirement, he served First Lutheran Church in Garland from May 2002 until December

2007.

Through the years, two other areas of ministry were dear to Robert’s heart. He served

as the spiritual director on numerous leadership teams for Via de Christo, a Lutheran

ministry that presents four-day retreats for the spiritual renewal of baptized Christians.

And for many years, he participated in Kairos, an interdenominational prison ministry

that provides weekend retreats to strengthen and renew the Christian faith of inmates

within the state prison system in Texas .

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Virginia (Finch) Sauer; his son Drew Lee Sauer,

his wife, Judy (Barnes) Sauer, and their children, Ellen Joyce and Ryan Webster of Ann

Arbor, Michigan ; his son Todd Roland Sauer, his wife, Rachel (Boyer) Sauer, and

their children, Karen Elizabeth and Catherine Renee, of Hurst , Texas and Amber (Sauer)

Ennis and her husband, James, of Chesapeake, Virginia; his daughter, Naomi Lorraine

Sauer, her son, Robert Anthony Fears, and her partner Scott Warren, of Allen, Texas ;

his brother Richard Elgin Sauer and wife, Rosie, of Abilene , Texas ; his brother-in-law,

William (Bill) Wietstruck, of The Woodlands, Texas ; and his sister Edith Joyce (Sauer)

Benton , of Seguin , Texas .

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Ernest and Ella Erna (Henrichs)

Sauer, and sister Ruth Ann (Sauer) Wietstruck.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in the Rev. Robert Sauer’s name

to the charity of your choice.