John Edward Sawyer, Jr. 1935-2002

SAWYER, ROST, KARNIK, NAGASE, MATHEWS, BOONE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/3/2011 at 17:58:05

John Edward Sawyer Jr., the son of John E. and Agnes (Karnik) Sawyer Sr., was born January 29, 1935, in Omaha, Nebraska, and passed away at his home on Friday, March 8, 2002, at the age of 67 years, one month and nine days.

He graduated from Bellevue, Nebraska High School in 1952. Following graduation from high school, John served in the United States Army from 1953 through 1955. He was stationed in Germany.

On June 1, 1957, he was united in marriage to Kathryn Joan Rost in Omaha, Nebraska. The family moved to Estherville in June of 1976. John was employed with Peoples Natural Gas for over thirty-nine years. He retired in 1995. He has served on the Estherville City Council for fifteen years. During his tenure as councilman, he served on the Utilities and Industry Committee and was a city representative of ECCOG. He was an active member of Kiwanis for many years. He also served as Chairman of the Emmet County Republican Party. John was a member of the Estherville Golf and Country Club and served on the board of directors. He enjoyed playing golf, traveling, bicycling, being a Nebraska Cornhusker Football fan and helping his family and friends.

John was an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He san in the church choir, served as a Eucharistic Minister, served on the finance committee, volunteered his time to care for the church buildings and grounds and served on the cemetery committee.

John is survived by his wife, Kay of Estherville; three children and four grandchildren, Jean Sawyer and her husband, Takahisa Nagase and their children, Sachi and Misa Nagase of Champaign, Illinois; Patricia K. Mathews and her husband, Andrew W. Mathews and their children, Garrett and Alina Mathews of Denver, Colorado; Thomas E. Sawyer and his wife, Della Boone of Henderson, Nevada and one brother, Eugene S. Sawyer and his wife, Darlene of Bellevue, Nebraska. John was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, James E. Sawyer. (MC)

Interment in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Estherville, IA