Coralie Louise Gladwin Sawyer

Coralie Louise Gladwin Sawyer, a wonderful 93 year old mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and resident of Siloam Springs, AR, went to her heavenly home on June 5, 2026. Coralie had a great love for her Lord Jesus and followed Him her entire life. Her main desire was that her family and all those around her would come to know Jesus, enjoy a relationship with Him as she has, and live with Him forever. Coralie was born on May 5, 1933 in Patterson, New Jersey to Harry and Viola "Vi" Gladwin, where her dad ran the corner grocery store. Coralie was a vivacious girl, enjoying school, sports, and playing with her little brother, Harry. She attended West Suburban School of Nursing in Illinois and attended Wheaton College, graduating in 1956 with a BSN. While at Wheaton, she met a handsome seminary student, John Levi Sawyer, Jr. One summer evening at Greenlake Bible Camp, where she worked as camp nurse, the two realized they wanted to serve the Lord together for life. (They talked so long in John's car that they missed curfew and the maintenance man had to open up the gate!) They were engaged on September 5 and married on August 31, 1957 at Broadway Baptist Church in Patterson, NJ. She embraced her calling as a pastor's wife at Broadway Baptist where John was a youth pastor, and their first child was born. Their first church was in Grafton, VT, where their next two children were born. Then they moved to Athol, MA where John pastored the Athol-Orange Baptist Church and they completed their family with their fourth child. Coralie loved singing with their pastor friends in a sextet called, "The Singing Ministers and their Wives." She cultivated her children's love for music (& her patience!) while waiting and knitting during their piano lessons at Maria Assumpta Academy. In 1973, the family moved to Coralie's grandfather's farmstead in western NY, where John pastored Bennett's Creek Bible Church, and filled in at Hartsville Community Church. Their own musical family became their new sextet, "The Sawyer Family Instruments of Praise", where they performed together in area churches. Coralie enjoyed the beautiful country life, gardening, canning, and baking the best homemade bread ever (hot out of the oven, with butter & brown sugar!). She mothered with intentionality, teaching her children about the Lord, and encouraging each child's natural talents. Coralie also worked as a nurse to bring in extra income. The 4 children attended Canisteo Central School, and graduated from Houghton College. In 1998 she lost her only son, John Levi III, at age 35, to cancer. He left behind 3 young children and wife, Kathy. Despite this painful grief, Coralie and family were quick to surround Kathy and the kids with love and support, and even later introduced Kathy to her new husband, Carl. All have continued to remain tightly knit as family. In 2004, Coralie and John sold the farmhouse and moved south to Siloam Springs, AR, where daughters Julie and Beth (Dan Gowin and family) lived. Soon they were busy with grandchildren and church activities at First Baptist, and Family Church Siloam Springs. John and Coralie loved to travel to see family, various places in the U.S. and Canada, and took one special trip to Switzerland. After 63 years of marriage, in 2021, Coralie lost her husband, John to complications from covid. Although missing her lifelong love and partner, she leaned on the Lord and again embraced her new calling. Coralie started a widow's group, "A Widow's Heart" which grew from a few widows to 40+. She stayed connected with her community, invested in her grandchildren nearby, visited the library and read voraciously. She also welcomed a new fluffy roommate, her happy dog, Queenie. She always enjoyed music, picking up the violin at age 40, and then playing dulcimer in a group in her 80's. After surviving a car accident in October 2024, she moved into Beth's home, living in her beautiful basement apartment, which overlooks the Illinois river valley. Coralie thrived there and remained active in her family and community until the time of her death. Coralie was preceded in death by her parents (Harry and Vi Gladwin), her husband (John L Sawyer, Jr) and her son (John L Sawyer III). She is survived by her daughters: Laura Elaine "Laurie" (& Doug Mason), Julia Ellen "Julie" (& John Phillips), and Beth Louise (& Dan Gowin), and her daughter-in-law, Katherine "Kathy" (& Carl Chrzan); 14 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren (with 2 more little ones on the way!). She is also survived by her brother, Harry Gladwin and his wife, Nancy, and 2 nephews; and many other family and friends who were blessed by her life and will miss her dearly. Everyone is invited to the Celebration of Life service at Family Church (1950 US-412, Siloam Springs, AR) on Saturday, June 20th at 4PM. The internment/graveside service will be held at Wheaton Cemetery (1209 S. Warrenville Rd. Wheaton, IL) on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to: Camp Siloam (Siloam Springs, AR): https://campsiloam.com/donate/ Kind At Heart Ministries (Siloam Springs, AR): https://www.kindatheart.org/onlinedonation Gideons International: https://gideons.org/donate Circle of Life Hospice: https://4agc.com/donation_pages/2f0db50b-8093-4b93-8625-6960247b819e

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Coralie Louise Gladwin Sawyer

May 5, 1933 - June 5, 2026