Valeda Lorene 'Val' Sawyer, 91

Valeda Lorene “Val” Sawyer, 91, passed away on Monday, January 21, 2019 at Luther Park Memory Care in Sandpoint, Idaho. Private family services have been held.

Val was born on June 9, 1927 in Kalispell, MT to LeRoi and Lorene Kemmis. She grew up and attended schools in Kalispell and Libby, graduating high school at the age of 16 in 1943. She attended college at Eastern Washington University, and began her teaching career in 1946 in a one room log school house at Sylvanite on the Yaak River in Montana. She then taught four years in Laclede, ID.

Val married Van Sawyer on February 3, 1951 at the Methodist Church in Sandpoint. After raising her family, Val resumed teaching in 1969 at Washington Elementary School and then Farmin School. She completed her education at the University of Idaho and was a proud member of Alpha Delta Kappa. She taught fourth grade to over 700 Bonner County children during her 23 years.

Many students remember her as one of their favorite grade school teachers. Upon her retirement Van and Val were world travelers and explored many corners of the world for many years. Van passed away in September 2005.

She is survived by her three sons Kent Sawyer of Cuenca, Ecuador, Kevin (Darlene) Sawyer of Sandpoint, and Brian (Janice) Sawyer of Waldport, OR; daughter Susan Sawyer and her husband Christopher Robbins of Phoenix; 9 grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Van Sawyer, two brothers Bodine and Kay Kemmis, and grandson Jonathan Sawyer.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements.

Please visit Val’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign her guest book.