Vivian Sackhoff, Hunter
April 1, 1936 - July 16, 2022
Vivian Louise (Heller) Sackhoff was born on April 1, 1936, on a farm near Hunter, Kansas, to Walter and Lydia (Little) Heller. She passed away on July 16, 2022, in Conway, Arkansas surrounded by family members. She had one sister, Maxine Strawn.
She spent most of her life on a farm that her grandparents homesteaded, where her parents lived as she grew up, then where she and Don made their home.
She married her high school sweetheart, Don Sackhoff, on July 20, 1958. They enjoyed many bus trips and camping by the Arkansas river. They were together for 48 years until Don passed away in 2006. They had four children, Richard (Holly) Sackhoff of Wichita, Tamara (Steven) McMillan of Conway, Jeff (Annette) Sackhoff of Conway and Debra (Rick) McLay of Topeka. Family was very important, and she loved spending time with all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Vivian graduated from Hunter High School in 1954 and attended Kansas State and Kansas State Teachers College.
She then taught in Abilene, where the Eisenhower Information Center sits now, from 1956 to 1957. She was one of the first teachers to move into the new Hunter Elementary School in 1957, where she taught first grade until she and Don started their family. Once all her children were in school, she managed the Hunter Café for several years, worked at JCPenney, Mill Street Emporium and retired after ten years at the Farmway Credit Union in Beloit. After retirement she moved to Wichita and enjoyed spending time with her family, neighbors, and volunteering at the Klothes Kloset.
She was a member of Grace Chapel United Methodist Church in Hunter where she held offices in both UMW and UMC. She also became a member of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Wichita. She was the Hunter Alumni Secretary for 36 years from 1973-2009.
Vivian was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, neighbor, and friend. She has known simply as “Mom” by many of them.
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, sister, and husband.
She is survived by her four children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, four foster great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 23 at the Grace Chapel United Methodist Church in Hunter followed by burial in Greenwood Union Cemetery. There will be no visitation, and the casket will remain closed.
Memorials may be given to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.
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