Longtime Emporia entrepreneur and Emporia’s Radio Stations owner Steve Sauder was laid to rest Saturday.
Sauder had been battling a raft of health problems over the last year before he passed away Feb. 8 at age 78. At Sauder’s funeral Saturday, his wife, Bobbi, used his “Something to Think About” framework to discuss what she called the “Omega journey” towards the end of his life. Bobbi Sauder spoke about the journey they shared, focusing on the concepts of vulnerability, patience, control and surrender before saying she was grateful for the time they shared.
Pastor Amanda Baker says she had several “unfiltered” conversations with Sauder over the last few months. In those, she says Sauder didn’t see himself in the same way others saw him.
In reciting the official obituary, KVOE General Manager Ron Thomas says Sauder’s successes were often linked to his associates.
During KVOE’s most recent On-Air Chat, a number of guests offered their memories of Sauder. Tom Mains says he got connected to Sauder and Valu-Line through the late Rick Tidwell, who was a firefighter back in the 1980s.
Longtime friend, former Modern Air owner and former Emporia city commissioner Jim Kessler called Sauder a mentor in all things business and family, saying the two families grew up together.
Former Emporia State men’s basketball coach David Moe remembers a relatively quiet game at Central Missouri — until Sauder spoke up.
Longtime ESU Athletics Director Kent Weiser routinely sought out Sauder’s advice.
Former Emporia State baseball coach Bob Fornelli says Sauder enjoyed his time with student-athletes, regardless of the sport.
ValuNet FIBER partner Stormy Supiran started with Sauder in the early 1980s as a computer programmer, well before ValuNet started in 2008. Supiran called Sauder “self-empowering” as a business owner and boss.
Sauder’s entrepreneurial career included the Sauder Limited clothing store, Steve Sauder Real Estate and the co-founding of Valu-Line with his father, Earl. Well before Valu-Line merged into Birch Telecom, Valu-Line purchased KVOE-AM and KFFX-FM and later added KEGS-FM, which was later rebranded as KVOE-FM. Sauder then former ValuNet FIBER in 2008 with Supiran, Tidwell and the late Bob Agler.
Sauder served as co-host to several KVOE programs, delivered a weekly audio essay for years and also was the Emporia State Lady Hornets play-by-play voice for a decade, including the team’s only national championship in 2010.
Sauder was also extremely active with his involvement and support of Emporia State University, as well as the Emporia Rotary Club, Emporia Country Club, the Emporia Jaycees, Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way of the Flint Hills among a lengthy list of other groups and organizations.
Sauder was laid to rest at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
Photos from KVOE News and Marvin Tajchman
