Teresa Sawyer was born December 14,
1937, to William Henry Gatz and Lucy Margaret Bixby in Newton,
Kansas. She joined her beloved husband, Ric Sawyer in the arms of
Jesus on August 30, 2022, the National Day of Grief.
Teresa spent all her youth in Newton
with her three brothers and two sisters, alongside her mother. Sadly,
Teresa?s father passed away when she was just ten years old.
Suffering a monumental loss at such an early age, she developed an
especially close relationship with her maternal grandparents,
spending every afternoon after school with them while her mother and
brothers continued their farming operation.
Teresa was an introvert and while
rarely the center of attention by choice she was often the smartest
person in the room. She researched everything and had an infallible
memory. She was publicly reserved in her opinions although those who
knew her well were never fooled by her quiet demeanor. Never
condescending, her superior intellect was often demonstrated by her
quick wit. In fact, those who knew Ric and Terry as a couple often
referred to them as the ?Ric and Terry show.?
Terry met her love of almost 59 years
while attending Kansas State University. It has been said that Ric
saw her in the front yard of the Kappa Delta sorority house and
immediately pulled his car over to introduce himself. They dated for
a short nine months before Ric proposed. Following their wedding,
they left rural Kansas behind and moved to Los Angeles, California
where Teresa worked in accounting and supported Ric as he attended
art school. After five years of marriage, they welcomed their first
son, Mark in 1963. Feeling the enormity of Los Angeles, they packed
up everything they owned into their car and left for Houston, TX with
their six-month old son. With nowhere to live and no job, together in
faith, they planted roots and began to build their life in Texas.
Temporarily borrowing $10,000 from Teresa?s beloved maternal
grandparents, together, Ric and Teresa created Sawyer Printing
Company. Teresa fully devoted herself to her family, welcoming a
daughter, Stacey in 1967 and another son, Matthew in 1971.
As Sawyer Printing Company grew, Teresa
became a critical component of the company and eventually returned to
work full time alongside Ric. Ric may have been the familiar face to
the customer, but it was Teresa who was the brains and structure of
the business where she eventually retired as the VP of Finance after
29 years of successful business. Outside of Sawyer Printing, Teresa
loved the beach, looking for seashells and reading.
She was an incredible seamstress and
decorator helping each of her children transform their houses into
homes.
Following her retirement, Teresa poured
her heart and soul into her four grandchildren: Shelby, Dylan, Ben,
and Allison. She attended every game, school event and activity. They
were the light of her life!
Teresa was preceded in death by her
parents, William and Lucy Gatz, her husband Richard (Ric) Sawyer, her
brothers Bernard Gatz, Bill Gatz and Vince Gatz and her sister, Marge
Unruh.
Left to cherish her memory and continue
her traditions are her son, Mark Sawyer and wife Emily, her daughter,
Stacey Drab and husband Keith and her son, Matthew Sawyer, and wife
Lorraine. Teresa also leaves behind grandchildren Shelby Drab Dison,
and husband John Dison, Dylan Drab, Ben Sawyer, and Allison Sawyer.
Teresa was extremely vocal about
wanting to live long enough to meet at least one great grandchild.
God granted her wish and on March 9, 2022, her first great
granddaughter, Lucy (named after her mother) was born. Teresa got
five and a half months of baby snuggles.
She gave us all a legacy and lifetime
of love. Until we meet again Momma Love.
For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
Teresa Mary Sawyer December 14, 1937
August 30, 2022
