Arnold Sauther

Arnold Roy Sauther proudly gifted the bounty of his garden to family and friends. Farming was his heritage. Both the Sauters and the Rosins had imitated from Russia (Ukraine). In 1931/2, his parents, Gust and Helen moved from the North Dakota farm to Billings' Southside with their children: Reuben (1917–93), Armine (1920–2006), Eddie (1922–90), Walter (1924–2012), Willard (1928–2007), and Lorraine (1931) and Helen's mother, Katherine (1858-1937). changing Sauter to Sauther.

While the three eldest served in WWII, Lorraine cared for the younger ones, Fred (1932–1999), Victor (1937), Arnold (Nov 8, 1939 – Sep 27, 2022), and Bernice (1941–2018). Arnold received perfect attendance awards at Garfield Elementary and Lincoln Junior High and lettered in Cross Country, Wrestling and Track (440, Broad Jump -over 23') at Billings Senior, class of 1958.

Arnie completed his recruit training at the Recruit Depot San Diego and advance training at Camp Pendleton near in San Diego. After six months of active duty, he returned to the Billings Marine Corps Reserve Unit. In April 1962, he was promoted to Private First Class and was discharged in 1965. While attending Eastern Montana College, Arnie was on the track team for broad jump and met a pretty, nursing student, Dianne Briggs.

Married in 1963, Arnold and Dianne had Arnold Harry '63, Pamela June ‘65, and Michael Duke '67, while living in Casa Village, before moving to their lifelong home in the Heights. Steven Gust '68, Sherilyn Helen '69, and Brian Jeffrey '75 followed. Arnie worked hard to take care of his family, driving truck for Self Service, working at Continental Oil Refinery, Gibson's, Winter Hardware, Fasteners, and Target. He could always be counted on. He cleaned Self Service as a second job and went into the Naval reserves as a Seabee. Grateful and proud of this commitment, he retired as an Equipment Operator First Class.

Home for dinner every night, he checked the garden before 5:30 dinner. Saturday night was Arnold's homemade pizza night. Summer vacations were for painting the house, repairs and building, or fishing and camping. Fishing in Canada and Alaska with his siblings were blessings. Fall was for hunting with this best buddies, Mike Amadon or Bill Fouhy. Winter was woodworking, studying maps for fishing and hunting, planning the garden, and starting tomatoes from seeds. Sunday mornings were for visiting Lorraine, Duke, and the girls, with a child or two in tow. With finally a household of two, Saturday was for sharing an omelet at Montana Nugget, going to church at St. Bernard's, and going out for pizza.

Arnold was pleased with the education of his children, all in professional roles. He was especially proud when son Arnie followed him in the Marines and later retired from the Air Force in Missouri. Both parents attended the ceremony and visiting Margaret, Jacob, and Janola. He spent time in the Puget Sound area visiting Pamela, David, and Emerson, Mike, Betsy, and Marina, and Steve and Darcey. He was with Brian and Erin for the birth of Sean and later met his youngest grandchild, Allison. Sherilyn remained in Billings. She and Rudy brought great joy to him by having Samantha at “Grandma's daycare” and helping when he could no longer DIY everything himself.

Working to organize and give away his tools to the end, his big heart never failed but could not survive the final assault of septicemia. Arnold died peacefully at Billings Clinic, with his wife and daughters by his side. He and Dianne were in their 60th year of marriage. In a beautiful, wooden box he created for his wife's recipes, he will patiently wait for her to join him, knowing he had prepared well for her to live with him in her heart.

Dianne, his children, five of his grandchildren, his sister Lorraine, brother Victor and his wife Kathy, sister-in-law Betty (Walt) and nephews, and nieces will be present for his memorial. Sister-in-law Florence (Fred) also survives him. Equipment Operator First Class Arnold Roy Sauther will be interred at the Yellowstone National Cemetery with services on Friday, October 7 at 11:00 AM, reception to follow at the Laurel VFW.