Dr. Helmut Wilhelm Sauer

Born August 12, 1936 to Walter and Klara (Klein) Sauer in Kassel, Germany Helmut Wilhelm Sauer grew up in Rotenburg/Fulda. He passed away at Colonial Gardens in Austin, Texas on April 25, 2016 with his wife and daughters by his side.

A man of science who valued learning, he earned his Ph.D. from Phillips University in Marburg, Germany before completing postdoctoral work at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research in Madison, Wisconsin where he met his future wife Lory Linder. After their marriage, Helmut joined the faculty at Heidelberg University in Heidelberg, Germany – the city where he and Lory became parents to Heidi. Later becoming a member of the faculty of Konstanz University, his young family lived across the border in Bottighofen, Switzerland where daughter Kirsti was born. A few years later, the family moved to Wϋrzburg, Germany where Helmut held a faculty position at Wϋrzburg University. In 1981, Helmut left his homeland for Texas, where he worked as a professor of Biology at Texas A&M University in College Station until his retirement in 2007 and distinction as a Professor Emeritus in Biology.

In his life he enjoyed many outdoor pursuits: mountain climbing, hiking, snow skiing, water skiing, horseback riding, travel, and the companionship of friends on hunting trips. During most summers he would travel home to Germany to spend time with cherished friends and colleagues. He was a lifelong reader of literature, science, and news magazines – the sight of him with a pipe in his mouth and open pages on his lap was not uncommon. He also enjoyed attending OPAS shows and Aggie football games, playing pool and board games and spending time with his family, especially the grandsons who brought their Opa much joy. Helmut was quick to smile and delighted in celebrating small moments: fireworks and champagne were for birthdays and random Saturdays as much as they were for the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve. Helmut will be deeply missed by his wife Lory, daughters Heidi Sauer and Kirsti (Sauer) Justice, son-in-law Matthew Justice, grandsons Bailey and Henry Justice, extended family, and lifelong friends in Germany. Remembrances can be given in his name to the Parkinson’s Research Foundation, and he would love to be remembered with a raised glass, a prost, and a hearty meal.

To share your memories and condolences with Helmut's family, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com.