Valentino John Sauer Jr.

Dr. Val J. Sauer went home to be with his Heavenly Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 28, 2022. He passed away peacefully in the presence of his wife, Connie, daughters Colleen and Crystal and son-in-law Mark at Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs, CO.

Valentino John Sauer was born on June 12, 1938, in Herreid, SD, to Valentine and Freda (Riedlinger) Sauer, later joined by brother David. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Aberdeen, SD, and graduated high school in 1956. Val enlisted in the Marines and spent six years serving as a Marine and working on military aircraft in southern California, ultimately becoming a Sargent before honorably discharging in 1962.

Val earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at South Dakota State University in 1965. During his time at SDSU, Val received the call to Christian ministry. On February 5, 1966, Val married the love of his life, Connie Olmsted. Several months later, Val and Connie moved to California where Val earned his M. Div (1969) and later his D. Min (1974) at California Theological Seminary. During seminary, while on staff at Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Val had the privilege to stand on the platform when Martin Luther King, Jr spoke one Sunday. God blessed Val and Connie with daughters Colleen (1972) and Crystal (1974).

Val served God faithfully as pastor in churches in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota, and California. He was a beloved and respected pastor and shepherd and touched countless lives during his many years of ministry. Val often ministered in church camps, was honored as “Minister of the Year” (SD 1983), and published The Eschatology Handbook (1981) with John Knox Press. Val was blessed to officiate the weddings of his daughters and his oldest grandson, Michael. He was able to perform the dedications and baptisms of many of his grandchildren.

Val fell in love with the Holy Land on his first trip there with Connie in 1969 and eventually traveled to the Holy Land 22 times, often serving as tour leader. He was privileged to have many family members and friends join him in the Holy Land experience. Val and Connie attended the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany in 2000 and 2010.

Val enjoyed a number of hobbies: making and flying radio controlled airplanes, hunting pheasants in South Dakota, cheering on the Dodgers and Cornhuskers, camping with his family and finding good buys in stores and markets. In his retirement years, Val and Connie often traveled to visit their daughters and grandchildren and enjoyed participating in their lives. In retirement, Val continued to teach Sunday School, preach occasionally and serve God faithfully in the churches he and Connie attended.

Val is survived by his wife of 56 years, Connie; brother David (Maggie) Sauer; daughters Colleen (Tim) Sorensen and Crystal (Mark) Miller; grandchildren Michael (Breanna) Sauer, Austin Sorensen, Jaida Sorensen, Alaina Sorensen, Carly Miller, Brendan Miller, Alison Miller, Nicholas Miller; and great-granddaughter Ronnie Sauer. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service for Val will be on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Colorado Springs, CO, at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Pikes Peak National Cemetery on Monday, July 18 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Val’s memory to One Great Hour of Sharing (abc-usa.org) or Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (ncm.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MtViewMortuary.com for the Sauer family.