John Sauer

John Sauer, 76, of Mt. Carmel, ND passed away at his farmstead on Saturday, January 21, 2009.
John Alphonse Sauer was born November 27, 1932, the seventh child of Peter and Clara (Kartes) Sauer at his family farm near Mt. Carmel, ND. He attended school at Mt. Carmel for ten years and went on to graduate from Central High in Devils Lakes with the class of 1951. He worked on the family farm from that time until December 1, 1954 when he entered the US Army. He spent 21 months on active duty mainly in west Texas. He was honorably discharged and returned to the family farm. John was united in marriage to Alfreda Schneider on June 18, 1958 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Mt. Carmel. They made their home on the Sauer family farm. They purchased the farm from his parents in 1961 and were able to build a new home there in 1964. They built up a beef and dairy cattle business along with raising crops. John was active in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church where he sang in the parish choir, was a lector, served on the parish council, and helped with the church cemetery. He founded the Little Pembina 4-H Club with Leona Schneider and his children went on to become very active in the club. John was a 4-H leader for 48 years. He also acted as secretary of the Cavalier County Livestock Assn. for over 30 years.
John is survived by his wife Alfreda of Mt. Carmel; children: Laurie (Philip) Kraemer of Grand Forks, ND, Angela (Phillip) Gapp of Harwood, ND, Jeffrey (Debbie) Sauer of Long Prairie, MN, Christine (Lt. Col. Bruce) Bartholomew of Ft. Belvoir, VA, Virginia (Rick) Fasching of Bozeman, MT, Carmelita (Robert) DeMaria of Parker, CO, Julie (John) Woodbury of Stanley, ND, Vanessa (Paul) Anderson of Harvey, ND, Bonnie (Galen) Scheresky of Max, ND, Alicia (Christopher) Hoffarth Of Valley City, ND; 42 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; siblings: Norma Celestine (Sister M. Carmelita OSF) of St. Francis Convent in Hankinson, ND, Bernice Bodensteiner of Grand Forks, Patricia (Herbert) Bodensteiner of Walhalla, Lloyd Sauer of Langdon, and sister-in-law Betty Sauer of Langdon. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Clarence, Dennis and Joseph and sister Anna Fischer.
Services will be held Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Mt. Carmel, ND.