Dr. Paulette G. Sauders

Dr. Paulette G. Sauders of Warsaw, Indiana, went home to be with her Savior on Thursday, April 24, 2025. She passed away in the care of Mason Health Care Center in Warsaw at the age of 82.
She was born on December 29, 1942, in Akron, Ohio to Mozell Velma (Hembree) Macon and Alo R. Macon. After graduating from high school, Paulette turned down a full scholarship to Akron University, because she wanted to attend Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. There was little financial help, so she worked forty hours a week at a dollar an hour, plus summers. For four years she never saw a paycheck, it went straight to her tuition. At the end of four years, she owed a balance of one hundred dollars, and her father paid the remaining balance. Paulette graduated in 1964, with the academic honor of Magna Cum Laude (very high praise).
After college, Paulette taught one year at a small Bible School in Akron, while there she was the freshman English teacher to her future husband. Paulette married Charles E. Sauders on July 3, 1965, and being an accomplished sewer, she made her own wedding dress. They were blessed to have shared 60 years of marriage together before Paulette passed away.
Paulette was offered a teaching position with Grace College in 1965. She earned her Master's degree from St. Francis in 1968, and her Ph.D. from Ball State University in 1988, where she wrote her dissertation on C.S. Lewis. She served for 55 years at Grace as a Professor where she taught English, Journalism, literature, and writing courses. Paulette retired from Grace in 2020 with the distinction as being the only person to have taught full time for 50 years or more at Grace. She also served as a department chair for 15 years. The Grace Board of Trustees conferred upon Dr. Paulette Sauders the status of faculty emeritus for her service, scholarship and teaching. At the ceremony honoring her 55 years, she was given the title of Professor Emerita. She was the only woman ever to be honored by Grace Schools with this prestigious honor.
One of the highlights of her dedication to serving the students and commitments to the students for the last 25 years of her tenure was that she would take students on a spring break tour of England and special historical sites. Besides the London sites, of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard, they visited Harry Potter's train station Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Crossing. Of course, the students wanted to see Sherlock Holmes' apartment at 21-B Baker Street, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Oxford University, the Roman city of Bath, and the homes of Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis. They spent time at Stonehenge and the British Museum. Students often talked about Churchill's underground War Room, for it was left the way it was used in WWII. Twenty years later, when she would see students at Grace's homecoming, they would talk about how awesome the trip was and the organization of the trip and how much they appreciated her hard work.
Paulette will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Charles E. Sauders (Warsaw, IN); and two daughters, Charlette Sauders (husband Darren Wetzel) and Catherine Cooke (both of Warsaw, IN). She leaves behind four grandchildren, Theo (Michelle) Cooke and Josie Cooke (both of Winona Lake, IN); Tyler Wetzel and Madeleine Wetzel (both of Warsaw, IN); and three great grandchildren, Henry Cooke, Amelia and Rayla Wetzel. Also surviving are her two sisters, Nora Macon and Rebecca Jean Macon (both of Warsaw, IN). She was preceded in death by her parents.
Paulette's life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Winona Lake Grace Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Kip Cone and Pastor Bruce Barlow. The family will greet well-wishers an hour prior to the service from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. She will be laid to rest with a private burial at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw. Arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Grace College, 1 Lancer Way, Winona Lake, IN 46590 to go towards the Dr. Paulette Sauders Scholarship Fund for English and Journalism students.
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