Rebekah Kay Vance Sauter

Rebekah Kay Vance Sauter
1981-2008 Age 26

Rebekah Kay Vance Sauter died peacefully in her sleep of as yet unknown causes on Monday morning, March 17th, 2008.

Rebekah was born in Portland, Oregon on December 31st, 1981, to proud parents, Rolin and Lauree (Golden) Vance. She grew up in a happy, loving, and active home attending Alameda Grade School, Beaumont Middle School, and Grant High School. Between golf, softball, cross-country, student council, and Young Life, she kept very busy and involved in school and community events. Rebekah Kay Vance accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior at age six and was baptized at age eight. She was a strong Christian, always excited to share her faith with others.

After graduating from high school, she attended Oregon State University from 2000 until 2004, where she earned a Bachelors of Science degree. Following her sophomore year of college, Rebekah traveled to both São Paulo, Brazil on a Christian evangelical mission trip and went on a backpacking adventure through Europe with two close friends. At OSU she met and fell in love with her future husband David Sauter. They were married December 27th, 2003.

Since David was offered an engineering job in Utah, the couple relocated for two years. Rebekah gave birth to Joshua Rolin Sauter on December 20th, 2005, in Bountiful, Utah. In October 2006 their family moved back to Oregon, and the following summer Rebekah gave birth to Nicole Elizabeth Sauter on June 15th, 2007. Since her wedding, she has been a perfect match for David and an outstanding, loving, patient, and wonderful mother, enjoying many days with her children on walks to the park, exploring Discovery World at OMSI, talking with the animals at the zoo, lunches and visits with her grandmothers, and meeting numerous friends for coffee and fellowship.

Besides spending time with her beloved husband, her precious children, her supportive family and faithful friends, Rebekah enjoyed skydiving, dirt biking with her brothers, dad, and David and riding with her dad or David on their motorcycles. She especially loved sharing conversations with her mother about life, love, marriage, parenting, and faith. She enjoyed knitting blankets and scarves for her family and friends, as well as family vacations at Sun River or the beach, family camp at Young Life’s Wild Horse Canyon, and a new love of gardening in her beautiful, big backyard.

Survivors include her husband David Sauter, children Joshua and Nicole Sauter, parents Rolin and Lauree Vance, older brother and sister-in-law Benjamin and Melissa Vance, younger brothers Paul and Jonathan Vance, maternal grandparent Donna (Golden) Thompson, paternal grandparent Constance (Vance) Hotchkiss and husband Earl Hotchkiss, parents-in-law Robert and Robin Sauter, brother-in-law and wife Josh and Kristin Sauter, sisters-in-law Megan and Emily Sauter, and numerous and precious aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Rebekah was adored, respected and dearly loved by her husband, children, mother, father, siblings, and a plethora of relatives and friends. She had the ability to relate to many people on a deep and personal level. Everyone who knew her recognized what a blessing she was in their lives. Many people named Rebekah as their best friend and relayed this sentiment to her family.

A private burial was held at Skyline Memorial Gardens on Saturday March 22nd. A celebration of her life will be held Sunday, March 30th 2008, from 3-5 p.m. at Portland Four Square Church, which is located at 1302 SE Ankeny Street - Portland, OR 97214.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be sent to Young Life Central, 809 N Russell St # 203 -Portland, OR 97227, where scholarships will be awarded to high school students attending camp or to the Rebekah Kay (Vance) Sauter Memorial Fund, which has been set up for her children. Donations may be made at any US Bank location.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14