Obituary of Virginia Ruth Sauls

Virginia Ruth Sauls - March 10, 1928 - April 11, 2020 (age 92) Virginia was born in Roseville, Michigan to Rivan and Ruth Frazee. She was the oldest of four children and her siblings included Francis, William, and Helen. They lived in Roseville on Ruthdale - a little street named after her mother, one block West of Gratiot. The street was named after her mother because theirs was the first house built there. After graduating from high school, Virginia attended Wayne State University in Detroit where she met the love of her life - Gordon Sauls. They were married in 1951 and had three sons David, Brian and Eric. Their first family home was in Inkster, and then in 1964 they moved to Livonia. They purchased one of the first homes in the Meri Lynn Farms subdivision and were eventually surrounded by many wonderful neighbors and schools. The Sauls family experienced many memorable years while living there. Virginia earned her Bachelors Degree in Art from Wayne State University. She later completed her Masters Degree in Education from Eastern Michigan while she and Gordon raised their three sons. They both taught in the Livonia Public Schools from the early 1960s until they retired in 1988. Virginia taught at several different elementary schools throughout her teaching career, while Gordon taught his first year at Cleveland Elementary, then Franklin High School until he retired. An avid world traveler, Virginia danced around the globe with Gordon. They visited England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Mexico, Jamaica and more. She also traveled with friends to Japan, Greece, Australia, Turkey, Germany, Hungary, and New Zealand. Virginia loved cooking and always had a tasty well balanced meal for the family - juggling this with being a school teacher. Her specialties included a delicious brisket, Hamburger Corn-Pone-Pie (a family favorite), home-made spaghetti sauce, numerous exotic foreign dishes, and many more. She was a true believer in adding spice to her life by means of travel and food. Virginia was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother - gentle, patient, kind, and funny - always upbeat and positive. She loved reading, classical music, educational TV shows, movies, and playing card games…. especially an old family favorite "Oh Hell." She loved her teaching career and her students. Virginia often reminisced about many of them and wondered what they did with their lives years later. She took great satisfaction in knowing she gave her students her very best - that pride never left her. After retiring from teaching, she continued to travel numerous years and also enjoyed a good home life. She and Gordon moved into assisted living in October of 2018. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and two siblings, Francis Frazee and Helen Lippert. She was also preceded in death by her oldest son David in December 2018 and her husband Gordon in December 2019. She is survived by middle son Brian (Charlene) of Harrisburg, PA, her youngest son Eric (Erin) of Highland, MI, and four grandchildren: Ian and Keith of Pennsylvania, and Michelle and Katy of Highland, MI. Virginia will be missed by all those who knew her, but she told her sons & close friends not to be sad after she departs because she had lived a wonderful and happy life. She went strong up until the last week - always upbeat & sharp as a tack. A memorial to celebrate Virginia and Gordons lives will be scheduled after the current COVID-19 crisis subsides. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The family requests any donations be made to Michigan Premier Hospice, who were wonderful in helping care for Virginia and Gordon in their final months.