Virginia Sauter

Our Mother, Virginia L. Sauter, whom we lovingly called Mom, died early Friday morning, May 27th, at the age of 96. We deeply mourn her passing and, along with our wives and families, will miss her presence in our lives.
Born on February 1, 1920 in Indianapolis, IN to William C. and Mary Ellen Hoeltke, Virginia ("Ginny") was the next to the youngest in a family of 4 girls and 2 boys and the last to pass away. When she was a toddler, her father moved the family to the up-and- coming town of Orlando, Florida where she and her siblings played in the orange groves with a neighborhood friend, Ralph "Carlton" Williams, who would become her future husband and our father.
As Mom entered her teenage years, her father moved the family back to Indianapolis where she began high school but had to drop out due to the depression and take a job to help support her family. Years later when we boys were in school, she returned to night school and earned her G.E.D.
Mom began a career in Cosmetics and worked for L.S. Ayers, a prestigious department store in Indianapolis. This job was a natural "fit" for her with her statuesque figure, beautiful complexion, and thick blond hair --- attributes she cultivated throughout her life. Mom's single life centered on work, babysitting her Goddaughter/ niece Janice and niece Mary Margaret, and dancing at the USO club with attractive, young, and very homesick soldiers.
While her childhood friend from Florida, "Carlton", was attending Allison Aircraft Engine School in Indianapolis in preparation for service in WWII, he remembered a skinny little girl from Florida who had moved back to Indiana so he decided to look her up. Much to his surprise, when he found Ginny, she had grown into a beautiful young woman and Carlton was temporarily speechless. When Carlton returned from the war, he and Mom were married. Soon, a baby boy arrived followed by another and another and another! Mom kept hoping for a girl but her wish went unfulfilled. Perhaps that's why Mom loved her 4 daughters-in-law dearly and treated them as her own daughters.
During our childhood, our parents liked nothing more than loading us into the station wagon and driving to Melbourne Beach for a day or weekend of fishing. Since our Dad sold sporting goods, he had the best equipment and usually caught the most fish but it was Mom who knew how to fry them! One of her nephews who is now 80 years old told

us that she used to get him excused from school on the pretense of taking him to the doctor when, instead, she actually wanted a fishing companion for the day!
Mom was a hard working career woman decades ahead of her time. Even after she married, she continued working in the cosmetics field as well as transforming her love of cooking into a successful career as a caterer/wedding planner. Her reputation grew and she was soon offered a job as the hostess of the First Methodist Church in Orlando. Mom eventually was hired away by the First Presbyterian Church and then the First Baptist Church. When our dad died unexpectedly at the age of 45 and Mom faced life alone as the sole supporter of 4 boys under the age of 17, she was undaunted by the challenge ahead. She got up every day, went to work and managed to transform 4 teenagers into hard working, competent and caring men.
That job was made easier when she met and married Jay Sauter in 1971. Jay had no children of his own but he loved and supported his newly acquired family. He and Mom were married until his death in 2007.
Mom is preceded in death by her mother and father, 5 siblings, 2 husbands, 1 son (Ralph Carlton "Skip" Williams, III) and her adored first grandchild Robby Williams. She is survived by 3 sons and their wives, Charles F. "Sandy" Williams and wife Ellen, John Richard "Ricky" Williams and wife Carol, and Robert Douglas "Robi" Williams and wife Treacy, 3 grandchildren (Kalyn Williams, Kimbra Devlin, and Timmy Devlin) and one great-grandson, Dalton Dixon, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staff from Hospice of the Comforter and Florida Hospital Private Home Care for the kindness they showed Mom. We also express enormous gratitude to our brother and his wife, John and Carol Williams, for providing a home for Mom and taking such good care of her in her final years.
A gathering celebrating Mom's life will be held at a later time. Persons wishing to honor her may do so with a contribution to their favorite charity.