Sue (Geiger) Sazima 1933-2009

Former Bluffton resident Sue Sazima, 75, of Shepherd, Mich., died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, at St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw, Mich.

Cremation has taken place and there will be a memorial service at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Shepherd United Methodist Church, Shepherd, Mich. Interment will be in Salt River Cemetery, Shepherd, Mich.

Mrs. Sazima was born on Nov. 21, 1933, in Bluffton, Ohio, to Steiner and Doris Marie (Stultz) Geiger. She graduated from Green Springs High School in Green Springs, Ohio. Sue married Don Sazima on Nov. 10, 1951 in Clyde, Ohio.

Following her marriage she spent as a Marine Corpsman's wife. She was the Coe Township Library (Shepherd, Mich.) librarian for many years. Sue was one of the founders of the Shepherd Area Historical Society and served as its first president. She opened her home as a shelter for abused and neglected children as well as being foster mother for over 120 children.

She traveled around the world with her husband participating in several project from starting libraries at schools in Haiti and Mexico to serving as a medical missionary in Haiti. She was a member of the Shepherd United Methodist Church and was very active in the community.

She is survived by her husband Don; 6 children: Lynn (Robert) Black of Germany; Gayle (Jeff) Cobb of Kansas City, Mo.; Pet Sazima of Shepherd, Mich.; Amy (Patrick) Burt of Minnesota; David Sazima of Shepherd, Mich.; Lani Sazima of U.S. Air Force, North Dakota; granddaughter, Emily Sazima of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 11 grandchildren; a sister, Jane Ann Parati of Massachusetts. Gabrella Geiger of Bluffton, is a niece.

She was preceded in death by her parents and 2 brothers. Memorials may be given to the Coe Township Library, Shepherd, Mich., for children's books.