John Cooper Sawyer

John Cooper Sawyer
Dec. 8, 1945 – May 6, 2025
Called to life with his Lord after 79 years and a long struggle against CLL. He is loved and appreciated by his wife, Nancy (Midkirk) Sawyer; their two daughters and their husbands, Jennifer & Scott Mueller and Melissa & Orlondo Mukkara; his sister, Gretchen Fry; extended family and friends.
John was born in the small town of Winnebago, MN, as the youngest child, to parents Marshall and Doris (Cooper) Sawyer. His grandfather, the town medical doctor, performed the delivery. He grew up in the Golden Valley area. At the age of 8 or 9, he came to faith in Jesus. A few years later, at 11, he lost his father to lung cancer, and in the significance of that time he decided he needed to start making better decisions in his life.
Through his church he got involved with Boy Scouts. In college, he attended the InterVarsity Missionary Convention where he again opened himself to God's leading. He completed his college education in Industrial Technology and got his masters degree in Education at UW Stout. At an evening church service, between college and grad school, he met Nancy, and they were married the next year, in 1970.
Then he took a job in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area where he and Nancy welcomed their two daughters. Upon hearing of an opportunity to teach at a mission school overseas, they felt God redirecting their lives, and they moved to Nigeria in 1982 under SIM. They started off with a 2 1/2 year commitment, but it felt clear to them that God was moving them, and they would spend 30 years in missions. John taught technical drawing, wood shop, and small gas engines; one of his specialties in class was his joke of the day. He took kids out on hikes and campouts, and especially liked the beautiful, dusty red sunsets in dry season. Eventually he transitioned to City Ministries, working to support street kids and other needy children.
They retired to Wisconsin in 2012. He was also diagnosed with CLL around that time. Living near their daughters, they enjoyed more family activities, vacationing many summers in Door County together. He continued to appreciate the outdoors, particularly the north woods. He watched birds in the pond behind their condo, and loved to light the fireplace in colder months. He enjoyed taking photos, visiting steam train museums, having movie nights, listening to classical music and talk radio, reading books, and helping with so many things around the house. He cared deeply for his country and his family.
He will be remembered for his sense of humor and his quiet, steady faithfulness to God and those around him. He will be greatly missed.
Visitation Friday, May 30 at Elmbrook Church Chapel 777 S. Barker Rd, Brookfield from 12:30 PM until time of service at 1:30 PM.
Please click here to watch the service live https://control.resi.io/webplayer/video.html?id=3c29c2ed-3920-4be7-9bec-d355270be71e