Katherine Sachs

Katherine Sachs was born on February 21, 1918, to Gerrit and Dorothy Meernik. When she was two years old, she emmigrated from the town of Nijkerk, in The Netherlands, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her parents and with her brother, Dick. Two sisters, Joanne Heintzelman and Dorothy Nowiciki both of Grand Rapids, MI, were born in this county, and they survive her.

Katherine remembered being held back in kindergarten because her English was not yet considered good enough. Later, she was skipped forward two grades. She graduated from high school at age 16 and went on to study at Western State Normal School in Kalamazoo, which is now Western Michigan University. In Oxford, Michigan, she worked as a fourth grade teacher until her first child was born. She had started to study for her Master's degree at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, but that effort was interrupted by the war.

In 1941, while at a lake resort in Michigan one summer evening, Katherine went to a dance, met John Sachs, and won his heart. They married in August, 1942, and soon after, her young husband went off to the war. His own education at the Wayne State University School of Law in Detroit was also interrupted.

Katherine raised seven children-a career which was admirable, sometimes daunting, and often lively. The family's first home was in Highland Park, Michigan; later they moved to Royal Oak. When John retired, they fulfilled a dream by moving to a small farm in Lapeer, Michigan. They worked together on large gardens and hosted festive family reunions. They also spent some years exploring the U.S. in an RV, often planning trips so as to visit new grandchildren in various parts of the country.

When they grew older, they moved to smaller places, and soon to Florida where they lived in a golfing community. After John died, Katherine remained there where she enjoyed friends, golfing into her 80s. Her last move was to Massachusetts into the Willows Retirement Community in Westborough where she lived close to two daughters.

Katherine is survived by six children: Donna Sachs of Davis, CA, John Sachs of Arlington, TN, Barbara Kristoff of Corte Madera, CA, Margaret Slack of Westborough, MA, William Sachs of Warren, MI, Mary Ellen Miller of Harvard, MA. She was predeceased by her son, Richard, in 1972.
Also survived by sisters-in-law, Judy Meernik of Grand Rapids, MI and Dolores Neely of Worcester.

Katherine was also blessed with 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren (with one more on the way).

The family is planing a celebration of life in the summer of 2016.