Last week a filled church held a memorial service for Maxine Sauter. Sadly, because of her death, we as a community weren’t able to formally thank her for her 16 years of dedicated service as county treasurer. But we did have that day to honor her life.

Some of the big questions at the end of a/our life are: “Did my life make a difference? Is the world a better place because I was here?” To both of these questions we can say “yes” about Maxine.

She was a generous person who served and shared in many capacities. She supported so many service agencies on this island as well as her church. She served on such boards as Help House, WAIF, United Way, and the Wildlife Care Center to name a few. She had a special passion for animals (especially dogs, cats and orcas) and children.

If every child or family in need, every friend who’s felt her care, and every animal whose quality of life was made better by her efforts could speak in unison, we’d hear a strong “THANK YOU” filling the air across this island.

Well done thou good faithful servant. I will miss you.

Colleen Lura

Oak Harbor