Obituary: Mary Sauer
Mary Elaine (Curtis) Sauer was born December 31, 1935 in Wichita Falls, Texas, a daughter of J. Ernest and Noble (Patterson) Curtis and passed from this life on June 28, 2021. Elaine graduated from Our Lady of Victory High School in Fort Worth, Texas in 1953. She attended St. Thomas University in Houston, Texas from 1953 until 1955 and then attended University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with a BA degree in English and a minor in Spanish. Elaine worked at the Texas Education Agency until 1959.
Elaine married Henry E. “Ned” Sauer on February 6, 1959 in Austin, TX and then moved to Girard, KS.
Elaine and Ned owned and operated Sauer’s Department Store in Girard until it closed in 2002 when Ned retired. Elaine was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Girard and the Altar Society. She was active in many social groups in Girard, including the Girard Music Club, during which time she served as Kansas State Music Club Secretary for 4 years; the City Federation of Clubs; the Girard PEO, Chapter BG; the Crawford County Genealogy Society, during which time she compiled three Family Trees; and several Bridge Clubs. She co-founded a women’s ecumenical Bible study in 1978 that is still meeting. She served as President in each of these groups.
Elaine had a servant’s heart that showed through in how she loved her family and how she cared for others in the community. She delivered Meals on Wheels for many years, and was active in the Church Women United from her church’s first affiliation. She served on the board of the Girard Clothes Closet Thrift Shop from the beginning, and she and Ned volunteered there.
Elaine enjoyed reading, card games, crossword puzzles, bible studies, and attending musical performances with Ned. They belonged to the Community Concerts Patrons since 1995, and frequented PSU performances. Elaine’s relatives are her six children; daughter, Greta Zaring and her husband Steve of Fort Collins, Colorado; her sons, Brian Sauer and his wife Phyllis of Pittsburg, Kansas, Randy Sauer and his wife Pam of Carl Junction, Missouri, Doug Sauer and his wife Kelly of Houston, Texas, Brad Sauer and his wife Michelle of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and Dwight K. Sauer (deceased); her grandchildren, Amanda, Ashley, Andrew, Alison, Claire, Paige, Laura, Annelise, Adam and Evan; three great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; her sisters, Irma Deane Soward of Austin, Texas and Nancy Joyce Hagen of Schertz, Texas, her brother Barry Patterson Danish and his wife Ann of Austin, Texas, and brother Henry Wilson Thomas, III (deceased).
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday at St. Michael Catholic Church in Girard with Fr. Mike Klag as Celebrant. Burial will be in the Girard Cemetery.
The Rosary will be at 6:30 p.m., Friday at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Girard where the family will receive friends until 8:30 p.m. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2:00 p.m., Friday.
Memorials are suggested to St. Michael Church and these may be left at the church or the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W St. John, Box 258, Girard, 66743.