David Sauer Jr.

Our loved one, David Sauer Jr., passed away on Friday, April 19th, 2024, at the age of 90 at Woodland Elder Care Services. His spirit will continue to farm, ice fish, fish, make sausage and brats, make angel food candy, collect maple tree sap, and make maple syrup, plant, and harvest delicious vegetables, including mouthwatering sweet corn. We cannot forget his love of playing cards, including card club, and going to breakfast with the Old Timers Club at the Eagles.

David was born on July 20th, 1933, to Elizabeth (Herdt) and David Sauer, Sr. He was born at his home, on the farm. David was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith believing and living the ways of a Christian and raising his family in the same manner. He met JoAnn Emma Oestreich, and they married on June 16th, 1956, raising a beautiful family having three daughters.

David and JoAnn were dairy farmers raising dairy cows, chickens, pigs and at one time even mink. When they retired from dairy farming, they continued working the land, including renting out land to Hmong families to have many gardens producing an abundance of vegetables to feed families and children.

David will be remembered for him and JoAnn being members of the Merrill Farmer’s Market and always having an abundance of delicious, sweet corn, Vidala onions, potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, beets, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, rhubarb, dill, statis, silver dollars, etc. David and JoAnn also enjoyed going to auctions and finding treasures to then set up at flea markets in St Germain and Boulder Junction selling their treasures. David and JoAnn enjoyed going on bus trips to Branson Missouri, Badlands, sites in the states of Colorado and Wisconsin. They enjoyed going to the casino, playing cards with family and friends and members of various card clubs.

David was able to play music “by ear” and enjoyed doing so when playing the guitar, piano, accordion, and organ. He enjoyed fixing clocks and fabricating machinery to use in his gardens, including a watering system and rigging up a watering tank on his 4-wheeler to water plants and a platform to use to better pick green beans with the mobility of the 4-wheeler. David utilized an old fashion winger washing machine to wash carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables for selling at the farmer's market. He made a corn steamer that was used at the Merrill Fairgrounds to set up and sell steamed corn on Labor Day. David enjoyed driving his 4-wheeler and checking out the crops on the “other forty”, driving through the cow pasture and through the woods.

David was a lifelong member of Saint Stephens United Church of Christ. He was also a member of the National Farmer’s Organization (NFO), Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), Pine River Cooperative, Consumers Cooperative, Old Timers Group, and a member of the Trailmates Snowmobile Club by allowing club members to snowmobile across their land. He worked part-time on the night shift at Quality Print (Foto News).

David genuinely enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren making many memories with many meals at the farm, including corn roasts and holiday feasts. He was always “training” and “educating” the family to carry on. David appreciated his sons-in-law's learning and help with farming. Just this past Christmas he helped make his famous homemade angel food candy and in doing so, this time he said, “I will help cover a few pieces of angel food in chocolate and then I am going to “watch” to make sure it is done “right.”    David enjoyed fried potatoes with onions and JoAnn’s fried chicken that his daughters learned to make too. David knew he had to help peel potatoes and would gladly do so knowing JoAnn would fry them up with onions. He enjoyed experimenting in cooking, canning, smoking meats, making homemade wine, and pickling, including pickling peas in the pod and green beans. On the day before his passing David was telling JoAnn and his daughter Julia, we needed to make pies. David was ready to peel apples as he always did when it came to making homemade pies. A table full of lots of delicious food surrounded by a loving family made David incredibly happy and filled his heart with joy. David’s key to happiness was spending time with family, friends, and socializing.

David will be missed by many including his wife, JoAnn, of 68 years of marriage, three daughters, Gloria Myers, Julia (Jon) Wicke, Darcia (Bert) Hopp, and six grandchildren Matthew (Stephanie) Brock, Krystal Brock, Jeremy (Molli) Wicke, Justin (Symone Pero) Wicke, Kristina (Michael) Brown, Eric (Jaclyn Kunze) Hopp, and seven great-grandchildren Marcus Brock, Elaina Brock, Mia Wicke, McKenzie Wicke, Jacob Wicke, Paisley Hopp, and Jayden Wicke.  In addition, sisters-in-law, Bernice Sauer, Marge Oestreich, Marion Fox, Sandy Oestreich, Betty Clark, brother-in-law, Paul Oestreich and many nieces, nephews, and many dear neighbors and friends.

David is preceded in death by his parents, Elizabeth and David Sauer Sr., in-laws, Leona and Paul Oestreich Sr., brother, LaVern Sauer, sister, Meta Mootz, brothers-in-law, Glenn Mootz, Jack Rieckenberg, Ned Fox, David Oestreich, Daniel Oestreich, sisters-in-law, Arlene Rieckenberg, Georgene Oestreich, Elaine Oestreich, son-in-law, Pat Myers, and ex son-in-law, Mike Brock.

The funeral service for David will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ in Merrill.  Pastor Michael Southcombe will officiate.  Visitation will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service, also at the church.

For those unable to attend the service in person, it will be recorded for future viewing and can be found under his obituary on the funeral home website.

JoAnn and family would like to extend their appreciation to Woodland Court Elder Services, Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice Services, Reverend Michael Southcombe, and Waid Funeral Home Services for their love and compassionate care.

Waid Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Merrill is assisting the family with arrangements.   Online condolences are encouraged and may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.