Edith Joan Sawyer passed away Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights, five days after her 98th birthday.
Edith Joan Boyum was born on April 20, 1928, in Fremont Township, Winona County, Minnesota to Martin and Cora (Swiggum) Boyum. She was the fourth of a family of six children.
Edith grew up on a farm. She attended the Grover one-room schoolhouse through sixth grade, then attended Peterson High School, graduating in 1946. Edith graduated from Winona State Teacher’s College in Winona with her teaching certificate in 1948.
Edith met Russell Sawyer in Waseca, Minnesota. Their first date was February 25, 1956. They were married later that year on August 4, 1956, at Arendahl Lutheran Church in Fillmore County, Minn. Son Jon was born in 1959, and twin sons Jerry and Jeffrey were born three years later in 1962.
Edith’s hobbies included Rosemaling, a Scandinavian painting style. She also liked making lefse every Christmas season, especially with her family. She loved working with numbers, often using paper and pencil to double check computer results. She liked the precision of mathematics.
Edith is survived by her husband Russell, her brother Karrol (Olive Ann) Boyum of Rushford, Minn.; her sons Jon (Wendy) Sawyer of Fort Collins, Colo., Jerry (Linda) Sawyer of Glenview, Ill.; and Jeffrey (Lena) Sawyer of Wichita, Kans.; her grandchildren Lauren (Jason) Sample of Clark, Colo.; Megan (Jon) Fry of Urbana, Ill.; Hannah Sawyer of Glenview, Ill.; Kathleen Sawyer of Glenview, Ill.; Michael Sawyer of Olathe, Kans.; Denae (Zane) Berry of Noble, Okla.; and great-granddaughter Kennedy Sample of Clark, Colo.
Edith was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Chester Boyum and Bertram Boyum, and sisters Corrine Olness and Ardith Boyum.
Online condolences may be offered at the funeral home website www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/arlington-heights-il/edith-sawyer-12860228.
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