Marion "Wayne" Saucerman

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Marion "Wayne" Saucerman, 97, of Monrovia, passed away on May 2, 2023. He was born in Sullivan, Indiana on May 1, 1926 to Ray and Eva (Thrasher) Saucerman. His father was a coal miner, blacksmith and farmer, and his mother was a homemaker. Raised on a rural farm in Sullivan County, Wayne graduated from Dugger High School in 1943.
Upon hearing of the attack on Pearl Harbor on the family radio, Wayne proudly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps immediately following graduation at the tender age of 17. Assigned duties as part of an elite scout sniper platoon, he along with three other Marine Divisions, boarded a ship headed to the island of Iwo Jima where some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Theater took place over a 37-day period in 1945. A Corporal in the 4th Marine Division, Wayne was shot three times, carrying one bullet in his leg for his lifetime, receiving a Purple Heart for his selfless bravery during the battle for Iwo Jima.
Returning to Indiana following WWII, he was employed by the Indiana State Fish and Game Department, a job that fed two of his passions-wildlife and the outdoors. Wayne was also a carpenter, and in fact, built the family's first home. In 1952, he moved to Indianapolis and started a career with Detroit Allison/GM that spanned over 34 years. A talented quality control inspector, he was proud to have made machinery that ran the world's commerce in the air, sea, and land, including the Apollo moon missions.
During Wayne's early years in Indianapolis, he met his lifelong love, a feisty redhead named Lois I. Davis, daughter of Harry and Effiemay (Robertson) Davis of Dugger, IN. Wayne and Lois were united in marriage in Indianapolis on April 3, 1953. The newlywed couple moved to Morgan County in 1954 and settled into their forever home in Monrovia in 1964. Lois is lovingly remembered after her passing on December 17, 2011.
A past member of the Marine Corps League, Detachment 1396 in Mooresville, Wayne was also an active outdoorsman, enjoying hunting and fishing, was an avid supporter in the Morgan County 4-H Horse and Pony Club, as well as the Golden Spur Saddle Club. The Saucerman family could always be found at a horse show arena somewhere on weekends.
Wayne retired in 1986 to delight in his grandchildren, gardening, tending his yard, trail riding in Arizona, Hawaii, Hoosier National Forest along with annual trips to Wyoming. Wayne and Lois were members of the Monrovia United Methodist Church, many a summer providing the congregation with tomatoes from his garden. A tough yet caring and witty soul, Wayne will be forever missed by all who were blessed to know and love him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Saucerman; parents, Ray and Eva Saucerman; brothers, Billy Joe, Ruel Dean, Gerald Robert "Bob", Lewis Augustus, and Jerry Ray Saucerman; and sister, Lorene Flath.
Wayne is survived by sons, Darrell "Wayne" Saucerman of Seattle, and Gary L. Saucerman (Phyllis) of Monrovia; and grandchildren Jessica and Michael Saucerman, both of Seattle, Rebecca Saucerman of Illinois, and Julie Schultz (Kenneth) of Monrovia; along with several nieces and nephews.
Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Light Memorial & Funeral Chapel in Monrovia. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 3:00pm to 6:45pm at the funeral home, with Military Honors beginning promptly at 6:45pm, and a Celebration of Life Funeral Service starting at 7pm, with Pastor Eric Kersey officiating. An additional hour of calling will be held on Thursday, May 11 from Noon until 1:00pm at Holmes Funeral Home, 642 W. Silver St, Sullivan, IN 47882, and burial will follow at Center Ridge Cemetery in Sullivan with full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made in Wayne's memory to Indy Honor Flight, PO Box 10, Plainfield, IN 46168, or online at https://indyhonorflight.org/donate/, or to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or online at https://www.stjude.org/. To share a favorite story, send an online condolence to the family, or light a candle in Wayne's memory, please visit his tribute page at www.lightmemorial.com.