Roy "Buster" Sauerbier "went home to be with his Lord" April 20, 2013, at his home.
He was born Aug. 21, 1945, in Kalispell to his parents Lynus and Cordelia Sauerbier. He was the youngest of their children. He grew up on the family farm in the Swan River area. He lived there most of his life, except when he was in the Army.
He was a loving and caring man with many friends. He loved to hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lynus and Cordelia; a brother, Daniel; and a niece, Lona Mae Sauerbier.
He is survived by his wife Mary; a daughter Jodi, of Seattle; a sister, Bernice Rost, of Bigfork; two nephews, Les Rost of Kalispell and Mike Sauerbier of Missoula; and a niece, Deb Rost, of Bigfork.
Following is the special tribute from his team penning friends:
"Buster truly enjoyed every minute working on his ranch. He found joy whether he was fixin' fences or trying to fix a cantankerous piece of equipment that broke down right when the hay was ready to put up. But, Buster could fix anything. He owned and operated a heavy equipment, sand and sod business. In the winter, he plowed snow. If someone couldn't pay or was down on their luck, they never got a bill.
"One of his greatest joys was tending to his cows and, at calving time, he dedicated himself to taking care of his cows and their babies. At branding, all of Buster's friends and neighbors joined in on the fun and Buster always had a big feed and a "cold one" waiting at the end of the work day.
"Buster had a deep love for his horses and his dogs and he had a good eye for a good horse. He was one of the first members of the Northwest Montana Team Penning Association. His knowledge of both horses and cattle won him many buckles in this fast paced sport. Buster's horse, Smokey, won Horse of the Year, and his horses, Billy and Okie, were coveted by any horseman that watched them work cattle.
"Buster built a beautiful arena on his ranch. He worked endless hours to make his arena the best and took pride in knowing "Buster's Arena" was a favored place for his many friends to practice team penning, compete for buckles and prizes and, at the end of the day, socialize with friends around the campfire. Cows used for the practices and competitions were all from Buster's herd and they all got worked, except for his ol' wild cow, Radar.
"Buster was respected and considered a good friend by all of his team penning family. Hunting and fishing were also Buster's passions. His yearly trip east of the mountains to camp and hunt antelope, deer and elk was something he looked forward to all year."
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. April 26 at the Little Brown Church in Bigfork
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He was born Aug. 21, 1945, in Kalispell to his parents Lynus and Cordelia Sauerbier. He was the youngest of their children. He grew up on the family farm in the Swan River area. He lived there most of his life, except when he was in the Army.
He was a loving and caring man with many friends. He loved to hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lynus and Cordelia; a brother, Daniel; and a niece, Lona Mae Sauerbier.
He is survived by his wife Mary; a daughter Jodi, of Seattle; a sister, Bernice Rost, of Bigfork; two nephews, Les Rost of Kalispell and Mike Sauerbier of Missoula; and a niece, Deb Rost, of Bigfork.
Following is the special tribute from his team penning friends:
"Buster truly enjoyed every minute working on his ranch. He found joy whether he was fixin' fences or trying to fix a cantankerous piece of equipment that broke down right when the hay was ready to put up. But, Buster could fix anything. He owned and operated a heavy equipment, sand and sod business. In the winter, he plowed snow. If someone couldn't pay or was down on their luck, they never got a bill.
"One of his greatest joys was tending to his cows and, at calving time, he dedicated himself to taking care of his cows and their babies. At branding, all of Buster's friends and neighbors joined in on the fun and Buster always had a big feed and a "cold one" waiting at the end of the work day.
"Buster had a deep love for his horses and his dogs and he had a good eye for a good horse. He was one of the first members of the Northwest Montana Team Penning Association. His knowledge of both horses and cattle won him many buckles in this fast paced sport. Buster's horse, Smokey, won Horse of the Year, and his horses, Billy and Okie, were coveted by any horseman that watched them work cattle.
"Buster built a beautiful arena on his ranch. He worked endless hours to make his arena the best and took pride in knowing "Buster's Arena" was a favored place for his many friends to practice team penning, compete for buckles and prizes and, at the end of the day, socialize with friends around the campfire. Cows used for the practices and competitions were all from Buster's herd and they all got worked, except for his ol' wild cow, Radar.
"Buster was respected and considered a good friend by all of his team penning family. Hunting and fishing were also Buster's passions. His yearly trip east of the mountains to camp and hunt antelope, deer and elk was something he looked forward to all year."
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. April 26 at the Little Brown Church in Bigfork