Geraldine LaRue Sawyer

1921 - 2023

LaRue Sawyer, Geraldine Geraldine LaRue Sawyer, resident of Foley, Alabama passed away Saturday, February 25th, 2023 at her residence surrounded by family. She was born September 11th, 1921 in Plymouth Michigan to the late Edward M. and Hedwig (Hattie Szutkowski) Plachta, the fourth of twelve children. She married Phillip Gordon LaRue in Bay City, Michigan in 1943 and together, they had four daughters. After 43 years of marriage, Phillip passed away and later Geraldine married John Sawyer of Lansing, Michigan. She enjoyed her summers in West Branch, Michigan on Peach Lake for over 50 years, where she was known as both "Fishwoman" and "Queen of Peach Lake". In addition to fishing, she was also an accomplished golfer who enjoyed the game up to age 100. Like her mother before her, one of her tag lines was, "If I die on the course, roll me into the ditch and carry on with your game!" To her, golf was not just a sport, it was her passion. When she was not on the course, she enjoyed watching golf on television as well as major league baseball, especially the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves. In addition to all her other activities with family or friends, she also gave back to her community by serving as a hairdresser for the "elderly" in local nursing homes in both Michigan and Alabama for over 30 years. Geraldine was a woman of strong faith and although it was rare for her not to attend Mass every Sunday, if she was unable to attend personally, she always went to Mass on television at EWTN. She spent several hours every day in her "prayer chair" and even in the last days, she was determined to get back there to pray, not for herself but for everyone that she knew who needed prayer. Geraldine was predeceased by her husbands Phillip & John, daughter Denise Kay Fulkersin, brothers Edward, Jerry, Eugene (Rusty) Plachta, sisters Delores (Dolly), Alice, Joanie, Katie, & Barbara Plachta. She is survived by three daughters Barbara Putt of Pensacola, Florida, Michelle Green of Bay City, Michigan, Mary Saulters (Michael) of Elberta, Alabama and "special fishing buddy" Bob DeFrain (Karen) of Boca Raton, Florida. She is also survived by sisters Angie Spencer of Essexville, Michigan, Patsy Wyant (Marvin) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Judy Finn of Bay City, Michigan, Sister-in-law Eleanor Plachta of Jacksonville, Florida, Sister-in-law, Mary Louise Lee of Bay City, Michigan and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by grandchildren Patrice Cook of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Annette Putt of Birmingham, Alabama, Michael Green of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Bryan Fulkersin (Brooke) of Essexville, Michigan, Bridget Green of Glendale, California, Kristin Fulkersin (Eric) of Ortonville, Michigan, Lew Childre (Cate) of Theodore, Alabama, Stacey Deaton (Mark) of Elberta, Alabama, Jason Saulters (Gayle) of Robertsdale, Alabama, Joel Saulters (Emily) of Madison, Alabama, great-grandchildren Cameron and Drew Cook, David and Kaydee Engman, Lexi and Colin Fulkersin, Macey and Mark James Deaton, Tyler, Mikala, and Bella Cornett, Brock, Ryker, and Athena Saulters, Charlie, Henry, and Lucy Saulters. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday March 2nd, 2023, 10:30 a.m. at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Foley, Alabama. Family will receive visitors at 10:00 a.m. in the vestibule of the church. Following the mass, interment will be at St. Margaret of Scotland cemetery on church property. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Geraldine's name to Catholic Social Services, P.O. Box 870 Robertsdale, Alabama 36567, St. Benedict's School 12786 Illinois St, Elberta, Alabama 36530, All Saints Catholic High School 217 S Monroe St. Bay City, Michigan 48708, or St. Joseph Catholic School 935 W Houghton Ave. West Branch, Michigan 48661.