Obituary of Robert Earl Sausen

Dr. Robert E. Sausen, 90, of Morgantown, West Virginia died Monday,  June 26th, 2017 at Mapleshire Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

                He was born July 3, 1926 in St. Paul, Minnesota, son of the late Earl and Bernadette Sausen.  He retired in 1991 as Professor Emeritus of the Department of Operative Dentistry at West Virginia University School of Dentistry.  He was a Veteran of the Navy Air Corps in World War II, he served as an aircrew gunner with bomber squadron VPB-106 in the Philippines.

                He was a graduate of St. Thomas Military Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota.  He received his dental degree and a Masters degree in restorative dentistry at the University of Minnesota.

                He was a member of West Virginia Dental Association, American Dental Association, American College of Dentistry, International College of Dentists and the Academy of Operative Dentistry.  He was faculty advisor for Xi Psi Phi Dental Fraternity at the University of Minnesota and West Virginia University. He was president for section chapters of the American Association for Dental Research at both Universities.  He was chapter president for Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society at both universities.  He was national president for Omicron Kappa Upsilon 1970-1971.  He was an Honorary member of the WVU School of Dentistry Alumni Association, which he helped establish in 1961, serving as its first secretary-treasurer for fourteen years.

                Dr. Sausen served for many years as adult leader in the Mountaineer Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, being Cubmaster, District Commissioner and Vice President of the Council’s Executive Board.  He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Parish in Star City.  He was a member of the Morgantown Area Stamp Club.

                He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ann Marie (Kubik) Sausen whom he married September 9, 1950; three daughters, Diane Sausen of Birmingham, Alabama; Carol Sausen of Morgantown, WV; and Linda and John Gasper of Indianapolis, Indiana; three sons and spouses, John and Anne Sausen, Richard and Dottie Sausen and Robert J. and RaDell Sausen of Morgantown, West Virginia; and two sisters, Mary Casey of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Jean Cecil of Columbia, Missouri.  He had eleven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  He enjoyed Big Band music and had an extensive collection of recordings by Benny Goodman.

                Friends and family will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown, on Friday, June 30th from 3-8 PM.  A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, 3334B University Ave., Morgantown, on Saturday, July 1st at 11 AM with Father John V. DiBacco as celebrant.  Interment will follow at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens in Westover. 

                To honor Robert Sausen’s wishes, he asked that in lieu of flowers, donations in his memory be made to Mountaineer Area Council Boy Scouts, 1831 Speedway Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554 or the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center (RDVIC), PO Box 4228, Morgantown, WV 26504.

Online condolences may be made at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com.