Funeral service for John L. Sauer IV, DDS, of Jackson, was held Friday, June 11, 2021, at 11 a.m. at New McKendree United Methodist Church, 225 South High St., in Jackson. The Rev. Jimmie Corbin and the Rev. Charles Buck officiated. Burial followed in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. Arrangements were handled by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.
John, 56, passed away unexpectedly Monday, June 7, 2021, at his home in Jackson. He was born Nov. 29, 1964, in Mobile, AL, to Paul E. and Beverly Bales Sauer. He and Sheila Barks were married July 31, 2004, in Mena, AR. They had been married nearly 17 years when Sheila passed away May 15, 2021.
John was a 1983 graduate of Willard High School. He played football and baseball and was selected as an All-Conference Defensive End during his senior year. He was also a collegiate athlete, playing football and baseball while attending Central Methodist University in Fayette. John received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Dentistry in 1991. In 2003, John established his dental practice in Cape Girardeau – John L. Sauer DDS. In subsequent years, he founded and coordinated the Annual Tunica Extravaganza, an event that offered continuing education courses in the field of dentistry.
Above all, John loved spending time with his family, but he also enjoyed traveling, history, trivia, classic rock music, and good food (but not cooking). He had always been a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, but after the birth of John Paul, he became an avid Jackson Indians fan, and also loved coaching and developing youth teams. He was instrumental in establishing Tribe Baseball in Jackson. John devoted 17 years as a referee for high school football throughout Southeast Missouri. Eleven of those years he was a “White Hat Ref.” He concluded his 17-year career in 2012 with a state championship game.
Loving survivors include three children, John Paul Sauer of the home, Logan (Garret) Light and their son, Linkin of Biehle and Paige Birk of Columbia, his mother, Beverly Sauer of Springfield, MO, a sister, Kim Sauer Hightower DDS of San Diego, CA, a stepsister, Michele Hall Miller of West Plains, his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jerry and Glenda Barks, a sister-in-law, Rebecca “Becky” (Gary) Peters of Jackson, nieces and nephews, Chase (Emily) Hightower, MD, Kendall, Seth, Lyndsey, and Jack Hightower, all of San Diego, CA, Audrey (Zac) Gendron and their son, Sawyer of Jackson, and Collin Peters (Maci McCuan) of Jackson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sheila and his father, Dr. Paul E. Sauer MD and wife, Linda.
Memorials may take the form of contributions to the John L. Sauer Memorial Fund, which has been established for the betterment of youth sports in Jackson. All checks should be made payable to the John L. Sauer Memorial Fund. Contributions may be mailed
to McCombs Funeral Home, 640 W. Independence, Jackson, MO 63755.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com go to John’s personal obituary page and click on the tribute wall tab above the obituary.
