CLEVELAND, May 20 — William “Bill” C. Sauer II, a member of BLET Division 121, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.
Brother Sauer, 56, was a CSX locomotive engineer and had worked for the railroad for 37 years. Brother Sauer was also a SENSE Division Safety Coordinator for the CSX Great Lakes Division. He joined the BLET on September 15, 1993.
“Bill was an extremely dedicated friend and Brother,” said Larry James, BLET System SENSE Coordinator at CSX “Brother Sauer’s contributions to his co-workers as the BLET SENSE Division Safety Coordinator of the CSXT Great Lakes Division over the past several years created many positive results for the BLET safety effort. Bill will be sadly missed by all of us.”
A lifelong resident of Indianapolis, Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Terri (Baxter) Sauer; children, Shannon (Richard) Schonegg; Brett (Katie) Sauer, Ben Sauer; grandchildren, Nathan, Sarah, Cameron, Griffin; sister, Kathy Huddleston; and brother, David Sauer. He was born May 16, 1954, to the late William and Mary Ann Sauer.
“Brother Sauer was known as a champion of safety and we are all deeply saddened by his unexpected passing,” BLET National President Paul Sorrow said. “On behalf of the BLET National Division and the 56,000 men and women of the Brotherhood, I extend our most heartfelt sympathies to Terri and the entire Sauer family.”
CSX General Chairman Rick Finamore said: “Bill Sauer has been an integral part of the BLET SENSE Program for many years, and went way above and beyond what is expected of SENSE Coordinators. He set the standard and will be sorely missed by everyone whom he ever worked with in our beloved Brotherhood.”
Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 20 at G. H. Herrmann Greenwood Funeral Home, South State Road 135 and Olive Branch Road.
Services will be held at 11:30 a.m., Friday, May 21 at the funeral home. He will be laid to rest in the Gardens at Olive Branch Cemetery and Mausoleum Park.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at: http://www.ghherrmann.com.