Eugene Sager

Eugene Sager, age 77, of Wheaton, Minnesota passed away Monday, March 21, 2016 at Sanford Wheaton Hospital in Wheaton.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 11:00 at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Minnesota with Rev. Michael Breach and Rev. George Sagissor officiating. Organist will be Sara Lee Rinke.

Burial will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, rural Wheaton. Honorary urn bearers will be Ronnie Vold, Dennis Sager, Earl Steffens, Roy Steffens, Mike Gauger, Mark Jacobs, Todd Schmitz, Matthew Anderson, and all his friends and beekeeper friends. Military Rites will be provided by the Merton Dale American Legion Post #80.

Visitation will be Thursday, March 24th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Bainbridge Funeral Home in Wheaton. Visitation will continue Saturday morning one hour prior to service time at the church.

Eugene Norman Sager was born August 11, 1938 in Graceville, Minnesota to Charles and Emma (Steffens) Sager. He was baptized September 1, 1938 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Dumont, Minnesota and confirmed January 31, 1954 at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton. Eugene learned a hard work ethic at the early age of 12, setting pins at the bowling alley for $1 a night and worked as a paperboy for $15 a month. He began working for Hausmann Apiaries at age 14. He attended school until entering the US Navy on January 12, 1956 where he served until August 7, 1959. He was stationed at Ft. Island (Pearl Harbor) Oahu, Hawaii for a year before being stationed in Alameda, California for eighteen months. He finished his service on the U.S.S. Bennington Aircraft Carrier. He was honorably discharged after three years, six months and twenty-six days of service.

He returned to Wheaton and went back to work for Hausmann Apiaries. Gene later worked for J.Z. Paysen for eight years and then purchased the bee business in 1976. He owned and operated Gene's Honey Company for twenty-six years; working in the honey bee business over fifty years. He was united in marriage to Sharon Johnson on July 15, 1962 at St. Joseph Lutheran Church near Rosholt, South Dakota. To this union two daughters were born: Kristine and Karmen. The couple traveled back and forth to Jasper, Texas beekeeping and queen rearing.

He was a member of the American Bee Federation, Merton Dale American Legion Post #80, and one of the five hundred members of Sioux Bee Honey.

He enjoyed woodworking, wood carving, art, gardening, flowers, hunting, fishing and was an avid Minnesota Vikings, Twins and Timberwolves fan. He enjoyed time spent with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Eugene was lovingly known as "Gene", "Charlie", "Sagebrush", "Genie", "Eugene Bradford", "Brush Rattler", "Honeyman" and "Bee Tamer". His career was like his personality, "As sweet as honey."

Eugene is survived by his wife Sharon Sager of Wheaton; two daughters: Kristine (Craig) Simonson of Buffalo, Minnesota and Karmen (John) McAndrew of West Fargo, North Dakota; grandchildren: Mariah, Brooke, Emma, Lexi, Abby, Thomas and Dane (Lezlie); great-grandchildren: Beckham, Emerson and Jude; sisters-in-law: Norma (Dale) Jacobs of Dumont, Minnesota; Carole (Dave) Schmitz of Wheaton; brother-in-law Maynard Anderson of Sisseton, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews.

People Eugene will be meeting in Heaven include his parents, Siblings: Laverna Vold, Bernice Coon, Dorrance Sager, Merton Sager and Delbert Sager; and sister-in-law Marilyn Anderson.