Howard M. Sauer, age 97, of Brookings, died Thursday, April 7, 2005, at the Brookings Hospital in Brookings, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Monday, April 11, 2005, at First Presbyterian Church in Brookings, with interment in Maple Lawn Cemetery at Faribault, Minnesota. Visitations will be from 4-7 P.M. Sunday at Eidsness Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the SDSU Foundation or a charity of the donors choice. Howard Meier Sauer was born January 30, 1908, in Hederick, Iowa, to George and Theresa (Meier) Sauer. He graduated from Martinsburg, Iowa, High School, and earned his bachelors degree from Des Moines University in 1929. He completed his masters degree at the University of Iowa in 1931, and did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. On August 12, 1931, he married Marjorie Rogers at Dunlap, Iowa. Howard was employed as a high school athletic coach, principal, and social science teacher for three and a half years at both Lovilia and Denison, Iowa. In 1938, the family moved to Brookings, where Howard was employed in the sociology department at South Dakota State University. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery officer in the Atlantic and European Theaters. He retired from SDSU in 1973 and was named Professor Emeritus. In honor of Howards long and illustrious career, SDSU conferred upon him a Doctor of Public Service degree on May 7, 1994. Marjorie died October 27, 1996. Howard was responsible for initiating the doctorate degree in sociology at SDSU. He wrote numerous pamphlets and bulletins and was an active member of professional organizations, including ten years as secretary-treasurer of the National Rural Sociology Society. In the 1960s he was a South Dakota delegate to the first White House Conference on Aging. In 1971 he was selected as an Outstanding Educator of America. He was a charter member of Gamma Sigma Delta and a member of the National Honor Society for Agriculture. He served on the board of directors of the United Retirement Center for 17 years, five years as president. He was active in the American Association of Retired Persons and the South Dakota Retired Teachers Association. He served three terms as a deacon at First Presbyterian Church. He was a member of Kiwanis International for over 60 years. He was the official scorekeeper for the SDSU basketball home games for 42 years. He and Marjorie served as hosts of a People to People tour of Europe and Russia, and led tours of Asia and the Holy Land. His hobbies included travel, inter-collegiate sports, and duplicate bridge. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Survivors include his son, Dr. Howard Sauer, Jr. and his wife, Helen, of Faribault, Minnesota; eight grandchildren: Paul Sauer, Margaret Ann Lindberg, David Sauer, Dr. Susan Moriarty, Dr. Michael Moriarty, Patricia Ann Moriarty, Christopher Moriarty, and Dr. Nancy Moriarty; 16 great-grandchildren; and son-in-law, Patrick Moriarty of Huddleston, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter, Janet Moriarty; a grandson, Wayne Howard Sauer; six brothers; and five sisters.