Vera Ileana Sautter, 91, passed away Saturday, February 4, 2017 at Highland Park Care Center in Alliance, Nebraska.
Vera was born January 17, 1926, to Floyd Henry Pierce and Mildred Nellie Pelham Pierce at University Place (Lincoln), Nebraska. She was a 1943 graduate of Lincoln High School. She attended Bryan Nursing School and Wesleyan University. She was employed at the Lincoln Telephone Company, in a Lincoln physician’s office and at the Nebraska State Capitol. Vera met John Henry Sautter at Epworth Methodist Church in Lincoln, Vera was a high school student and John a University of Nebraska and US Army ROTC student. John served in WWII and after the war, John and Vera were married in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 7, 1947. They moved to Verdigre, Nebraska where John was a teacher for 10 years and Vera was a homemaker.
In 1957, they moved to Halsey, Nebraska where Vera worked as Office Manager for the Blaine/Thomas Soil Conservation District and John worked as a Soil Conservationist for the USDA. Vera and John then moved to Stapleton in 1966 where Vera worked as the Office Manager for the Logan/McPherson Soil Conservation District and John continued in the Soil Conservation Service[SCS]. They moved to Mullen, Nebraska in 1972 where John continued with the SCS and Vera was a homemaker and worked as a clerk in the local drug store/gift shop. She was appointed to serve the Upper Loup Natural Resources District Board replacing her husband after his passing in 1986. Vera returned to hometown of Lincoln in 1990, joining her sister June and husband Ed. In Lincoln, Vera was a volunteer for the Area Agency on Aging, the Heritage Gift Shop and served on the Lower Platte NRD Board. In 2009, Vera moved to Alliance, Nebraska to be near family.
Vera and John raised four children in small communities of Nebraska. Vera was a homemaker and mother who served her church, community and shared her Christian faith with her children. She was a pianist, vocalist, voracious reader and bridge player. She was devoted to serving the United Methodist Church in Sunday School, United Methodist Women and as a Lay Speaker. Vera was a member of Eastern Star and Extension Clubs and supported her children’s activities in academics, sports, music, 4-H and scouts. Vera came to love rural communities and the Sandhills and joined John in his hobbies of collecting antiques, camping, hunting rocks and making jewelry. They were committed in caring for a clean and safe environment. She was known as a sweet and kind woman and a loving wife and mother.
Vera is survived by her daughter Susan (Joseph) Tollefson of Bremerton, WA; two sons, Bill (Sandy) Sautter of Sioux City, IA and David (Cynthia) Sautter of Alliance, NE; daughter-in-law, Alberta Sautter; grandchildren Maryann Vognild, of St. Louis, MO; Lori Mazanec, Alliance, NE; John Tollefson, Bremerton, WA; Michael Sautter, Alliance, NE; John Sautter, Springfield, VA; Becca Sautter, Omaha, NE; Sarah Tollefson, Seattle, WA; Stephen Sautter, York, NE; Nathan Sautter, Louisville, KY; Elizabeth Fritzler, Alliance, NE; Christopher Sautter, Cape Girardo, MO; Matthew Sautter, Sioux City, IA; great grandchildren Keeley Mazanec, Eva Vognild, Kaelyn Mazanec, Katherine Sautter, Harper Fritzler, John (Jack) Sautter, Harvey Sautter, Jillian Sautter, Holland Fritzler, Aurelia Sautter and John Paul Sautter.
Vera was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years John Henry, her son Paul Sautter, daughter-in-law Sandra (Stull) Sautter, her parents Floyd and Mildred Pierce, brothers Dean and Earl Pierce and sisters June Moss and Maryann Starlin.
Memorial services celebrating her life will be Monday, February 13, 10:30 am MST at the United Methodist Church in Alliance, Nebraska. Interment will be Tuesday, February 14 at 1 pm CST at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, Nebraska, where her husband John is buried. Memorials may be given to Youth for Christ, the United Methodist Church in Alliance or the Arbor Day Foundation. Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.